


A Case in Sumaru City

by JadeDraggy2017



Series: The Case Files of a Detective Prince [1]
Category: Persona 2, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Akira is a TatsuJun kid, Alternate Universe, Amputation, Angst, Arson, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Child Abandonment, Child Abuse, Corpse Desecration, Detective Akechi Goro, Don't take your pills like Akira does, F/F, F/M, Gay Kurusu Akira, Highly inappropriate medication usage/behavior, If you've played P2 you can probably spot all the bad guys, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kidnapping, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mentally Unwell Akira, Murder Mystery, Original Character Death(s), POV Multiple, Persona 5 characters transplanted to Sumaru City, Persona-less Universe, References to Depression, Stabbing, Suicide Attempt, blood smeared on others, detailed talk about mutilation, forced experimentation with said drugs, implied/referenced dubious consent between a minor and an adult, implied/refernced drug use, please don't treat your stab wounds like Ulala does, psychiatric care, willful ingestion of blood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2018-12-03 07:46:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 181,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11527767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeDraggy2017/pseuds/JadeDraggy2017
Summary: Up and coming ‘detective prince’ Goro Akechi has come to Sumaru City to aid in investigating a series of gruesome murders. Solving a case, chasing down a murderer, unraveling a mystery is usually no problem for a genius like him- too bad the son of his host, Akira Suou, is a mystery he cannot solve.





	1. Assignment

**Author's Note:**

> So, it’s been like five billion years since I wrote a fanfic… But Persona 5 has been plaguing my imagination. I’m extremely rusty and not going to pretend that I’m not.
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

Friday night. Almost Saturday. The fluorescent lights overhead gently buzzed over the sounds of computer keys being pressed at a slower and slower pace. The steady tapping only pausing for a paper to be shuffled or discarded.  
  
'It’s Saturday now.'  
  
The first idle thought Goro Akechi had in six hours.  
  
He sat down at the desk in a side office of the Special Investigations Unit around six in the evening to go over paperwork from his last case. Witness testimonies, police reports, recordings of phone calls, piles and piles of evidence were all spread out on the tabletop before him.  
  
It was Saturday, the middle of the night. Most first-year university students were out enjoying themselves; out with their friends, not working through the night. Though maybe they should be- there are papers to write.  
  
Papers. He has a paper due for political science on Tuesday. And has to give his closing statements to the department on this case on Monday. And an interview about it on Thursday… Wednesday, something is happening Wednesday but he can’t think of what.  
  
Goro stopped typing and tilted his head back looking up at the lights overhead, his mop of hair falling back over the edge of his chair. He reached up to loosen the tie around his neck and listen to the lights. Trying to recall what was on his schedule for Wednesday. It had to be important, but he was drawing a blank.  
  
His stomach growled, now that he was not hyper-focused on working, to remind him he last ate some eighteen hours ago and that was only an apple on his way out the door.  
  
It was the middle of the night (not that he would go get food, but he could use some coffee). By now his favorite place was closed up. The little café Leblanc in Yongen-Jaya was nothing more than a hole in the wall, but the owner made the best coffee in Tokyo. His superior had taken them there once, after a case in high school and he’d been going back ever since.  
  
Even just thinking about it while hungry caused his senses to play tricks on him. Telling him he could smell coffee. The strong aroma just made him more aware of how hungry he’d become. It was a little too real. He sat up turning his head toward the open doorway.  
  
He really did smell coffee. He even heard footsteps coming down the hall. Goro got up from his chair and leaned out the doorway. Coming down the hall holding a tumbler in each hand was a girl he recognized. Brown hair, long white dressy shirt, and black leggings, she stopped in her tracks when he stuck his head out.  
  
“Niijima-san?” Goro stepped out completely into the hall, standing just a few feet away from her. “What are you doing here?”  
  
“Oh, Akechi-kun, I didn’t know you were working late too. Sis said she wasn’t coming home tonight… So I went to her favorite café to get her something to work through the night.” She looked down at the two thermoses in her hands, “I didn’t think anyone else would be here.”  
  
“You got her coffee, at this time of night?”  
  
“It was a few hours ago, but I was held up getting here.”  
  
“I see…” Goro felt his stomach clench a bit. He knew Makoto Niijima because he worked with her older sister. He also saw her around his university campus, they even had the same political science class, albeit at different times in the day. He’d known her for years… But only in passing.  
  
He couldn’t possibly expect her to know he’d be here, or to bring him anything. He didn’t have anyone to bring him anything…  
  
“Well then, I’ll let you go so you can get home,” he turned around to enter back into the office.  
  
“Don’t forget about Wednesday, Akechi-kun,” Makoto called out to him. He stopped. How did she know he’d been thinking about that? He turned back to her, ready to assure her he hadn’t forgotten whatever it was but she filled him in anyway. “Lunch. With me. And Haru.” Makoto shook her head. “You said Wednesday is your only free day, we’ve been asking you for two months.”  
  
“I didn’t forget, Niijima-san.” He smiled at her, but she was unimpressed. To be fair, it was the same smile he gave reporters on talk shows and fangirls he ran into on the street.  
  
“Don’t stand us up again,” Makoto walked past him down the hall and around the corner out of sight.  
  
Her words had a sharp tone to them. Like a mother admonishing a child. Once she was gone his eyes rolled upward. He’d cancel. He always did. Haru Okumura and Makoto Niijima had been trying, unsuccessfully since the start of the school year to get him to spend an afternoon with them.  
  
He knew Haru even less than he knew Makoto. The girls had gone to the same high school, graduated together, knew each other very well. From his observations, he’d argue on an intimate level, but he didn’t have time to get to know them.He had work to do.  
  
Since high school, he’d dedicated any time that wasn’t to academics to pursuing a career as a detective.  
  
His dedication to his work is what earned him the title ‘Detective Prince’ from the media. His genius earned him recognition by then prosecutor Sae Niijima. Their partnership and efforts helped him and her professionally, earning him a spot in Special investigations and Sae a promotion to Deputy Director.  
  
And he was only nineteen.  
  
If he spent time going out to lunch and lounging about with his peers like Makoto and Haru where would he be?  
  
He sat back down.  
  
He’d probably have some coffee right now, for one.  
  
Before he could get back to work his phone buzzed. It was Sae. Makoto must have mentioned he was still here. It was just a simple text.  
  
**  
Sae:** Come up to my office.  
  
  
  
  
Sae’s office was two floors up from where he was working. Despite being a fixture in the department, Akechi did not officially have an office of his own. There were side rooms with desk and chairs that he often claimed and worked in, but no place to call his own. Which made some sense, he was still ‘a kid’. Legally an adult, but in university, still working on his actual degree in criminal justice. It would probably look unprofessional to give him his own actual work space over the adults working here.  
  
Makoto was still in her sister’s office, the two casually discussing her work on a school paper when Goro entered.  
  
“Akechi,” Sae turned her attention to him immediately.  The older Niijima sister didn’t look the least bit tired, despite the time of night. Her silver hair, red eyes, and slender face were all in perfect order. Goro knew for a fact she pulled as many all nighters as he did, but she never seemed exhausted. Sometimes he wasn’t even sure if she went home. “I’m glad you’re still here, it saves me from having to hold this meeting tomorrow-“ she turned to her sister, “-I’ll see you at home, Makoto.”  
  
“Right, Sis. Enjoy the coffee,” the younger sister walked past Akechi, tossing him a quick and courteous smile. He returned it. That was the polite thing to do.  
  
“What is this meeting about, Sae-san?”  
  
“You’re being assigned a new case.”  
  
“So soon?” Goro tapped his fingers to his chin. He wasn’t opposed to that. But he had just barely finished closing his last case. He nodded to her, “I’ll be sure to work hard on it, Sae-san.”  
  
“I know you will,” the woman leaned forward, folding her arms over her desk as she continued to speak, “This case is going to be different for you. You’re going to be working without the rest of SIU to back you. In fact, you won’t even be in Tokyo.”  
  
“I- what?” Goro looked shocked. Was he being sent away?  
  
Sae smiled, “Don’t worry, this isn’t a punishment. Actually, I’m sending you because I have faith in you. Have you ever been to Sumaru City?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“It’s a seaside city, just over a million in population. Over the past three months, there’s been a series of murders, unsolved. A request was put in to send a Special Investigator to assist. That’s where you come in.”  
  
“I see, a murder case. I’m flattered you’re giving me this responsibility Sae-san. I promise I will do everything I can to wrap this up, but I must ask- why me?”  
  
“I told you, I have faith you can do it. So far most the local detectives working on it are stumped. So I figured why not send our resident genius to assist them?” She leaned back in her chair to open a file draw on her desk. Sae pulled out a small stack of folders and set them on the table. “There is one detective, however, who is working on an angle for this case. You’ll be working with him. His name is Suou Tatsuya, from the Konan Police Department.”  
  
Goro stepped forward to flip through the folders. The front page of the first one had a picture of his contact and his information. Brown hair, brown eyes. Even in his photograph, the man’s gaze felt like it was cutting through him. Certainly the look of a seasoned detective; older than Sae, but not old enough to have such an intense gaze. What happened to him to craft such an expression?  
  
“You leave at the end of next week by train. Your travel expenses and hotel arrangements have already been made.”  
  
“I see,” Goro closed the folder. “That doesn’t give me much time to wrap things up here then. I’ll be ready to depart by then.”  
  
“See that you are,” Sae leaned forward to pick up the coffee her sister had delivered and took a sip. “I’ll be looking forward to your results.”  
  
He nodded and gave her a quick bow before exiting with the files. He didn’t have a lot of time to review the case and prepare himself on top of everything that would be happening next week, unless…  
  
Goro pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts until he found Makoto.  
  
  
  
**Akechi:** I must cancel. I have to prepare for a new case.  
  
He watched the screen, it remained still for a full minute until finally he saw the few dots come up indicating there was an incoming message.  
  
**Niijima:** Good luck with it then. I’ll let Haru know.  
  
  
He put his phone back in his pocket. There was probably a lot more to that message than what she actually typed. He just didn’t have time for them. For making friends. He had work to do.  
  
He didn’t need the conflict of others crowding his focus.


	2. Stranger in the Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this AU's purposes, Akira's last name is Suou.
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

  
  
  
Two hours.

That was how long the train ride to Sumaru City was. Goro adjusted the black gloves on his hands before reaching into the right pocket of his coat to pull out his phone and check the time.

It had started to rain at some point. He hadn’t been paying attention to anything beyond the car he was inside for this trip.

The train’s clacking along the tracks and the steady and constant hum and drum of its engine blended out into nothingness a long time ago. Probably after the first ten minutes of the journey. It was another ten or so before the outside world faded out as well. But the people around him stayed constant in his mind.

The seat to the front of him had an elderly couple. They’d been quiet most of the trip. The old woman had her hair up in a bun, her husband- they wore matching wedding bands- had a hearing aid in one ear, his left. When the pair were sitting down, the wife had tried to sit on the right of him, suggesting he take the aisle seat. However, he insisted he wanted the window. The moment he sat down, he reached up to ‘fix his hair’ and turned the hearing aid off. Goro watched him do so, almost feeling himself shake his head at the action. His wife would talk to herself the rest of the trip…

No one sat in the seat next to him; he’d set his suitcase down and had his bag of personal effects tucked under his chair. Across the aisle, a mother and unruly daughter sat. The little girl had been awful the entire trip, dismayed that she broke her phone and her mother would not give her her own to play games on. She’d broken it right before they got on. Goro had seen them standing, the mother scolding her while she picked up broken bits of plastic off the platform. The girl was in tears. To be fair, a grown man had run into her not a moment before sending it flying from the child’s grasp. But the man had gotten into a separate car, and it wasn’t any of his concern.

And right behind him, two girls sat down. Older than him, probably university graduates judging by their look and conversation. They spoke about job applications, internships, and held hands. But only when sitting together and when no one was walking by. In their reflection on the window, Goro could see their fingers entwine and release depending upon if other people were closer or further away.

He’d been watching them all for two hours. But never said a word to any of them. And judging by the growing hilly landscape, their time under his observation was coming to an end.

He could have spent the past two hours reading one of the detective novels he packed, even though he had read them several times before. But it was cathartic to watch the people around him. Observing their behaviors, actions, reading their personalities. It was better to focus on something new rather than reread books he already knew inside and out.

The train rounded a curve in the tracks, and on the side of the mother and daughter, the sea could be seen. Waves rolling in the rain, and the water reflecting the gray storm clouds. Patches of the setting sun could be made out here and there, but it was mostly hidden. On the opposite side, out Goro’s window, he could see the hills rolling up to a mountain.

Mount Katatsumuri. Which meant Sumaru City would be coming into view in a few minutes.

Goro’s eyes trained on the mountain, his thoughts half registering his reflection frowning back at him.

“I didn’t pack an umbrella…”

 

It was half an hour later when the train came to a stop. Goro grabbed his suitcase and his bag and departed.

Sumaru City was going to be his home for a while. None of the passengers he’d been watching got off, their destinations were elsewhere.

The sun was hanging low, almost setting, and the storm clouds were blocking out what light it had to offer. The steady drizzle and gray clouds made his first impression of the city cold. Not that he was expecting a warm welcome. He was here for work.

Goro was ‘on loan’ to the Konan Police Department from the Tokyo SIU. He didn’t mind assisting in cases, in fact, he loved the challenge. But he did mind having to put University studies on hold while he was out of town for an indefinite amount of time.

Time. He pulled out his phone again and looked out at the rain. He needed to call a cab and get to his hotel, drop off his personal bag and make his way to the police department. He scrolled through the screen quickly bringing up the information on the police department and his hotel.

He was staying at the Hotel Pleiades, in the southernmost ward of the city, and thankfully not too far from the police department.

It was, however, across town, as the train station was on the northern end of the city. Wonderful.

He grabbed his bags and starting walking down toward the street; staying as inside and under overhangs as he could. Once out to where he could see the road, he found a mostly dry spot under an overhang and pulled his phone back out.

There weren’t many people on the street; rightly so, it was starting to rain harder.

A quick phone call and he would be off the street as well. He wasn’t really focusing on anything around him while he made the call, just looking out at the city before him. The few cars driving by, some people running from one building to the next. The only person he could see not minding the rain was some fool kid on a bike, riding full tilt down the road.

As he was listening to the phone ring, and the sound of a cab driver starting to speak to him, he watched the biker come closer.

Soaking wet, black hair, glasses, riding like crazy. The rain, the puddles, none of that seemed to stop him. Water sloshed out from around the sides of his wheels. He was coming closer-

It quickly dawned on Goro that he was going to pass him.

Correction, he was passing him now.

And as he did so, that torrent of water that followed him cascaded up onto the sidewalk and all over the lower half of Goro’s body causing him to let out a surprised and displeased groan into the ear of the taxi driver.

He stood for a second, shocked, mostly because the water was cold. Second, because the biker finally stopped.

He was wearing a high school uniform, dark blue- or maybe it was dark blue because he was soaking wet.

“You-“ Goro still had his phone in his hand but was now talking to the high schooler that drenched him. He felt a knot forming in his chest. He was breathless with what to say to him. “You-“

“Wow,” the soaked boy responded, “You got it good.” At the end of his sentence he smiled- no, he smirked. There was a difference. The way his teeth came together, just one side of his lips upturned, and his eyebrows raised like he was restraining a laugh.

“It’s not funny,” Goro pointed at him, “I’m on my way to an important meeting, and you just- blazed by me. Drenching me. It’s pouring. Shouldn’t you be more considerate and aware of your surroundings?”

He immediately went into reprimanding him. An action that made is smirk slowly fade. Goro thought for a second he’d at least apologize for his carelessness, however…

“You shouldn’t stand so close to the puddles.” His response was so flat, it only made Goro more upset. “You’re not the only one in a hurry, I have to open the shop back up.” The black-haired boy lifted the wheel of his bike onto the sidewalk and came within arm’s length of Goro. “Is your bag water resistant?”

“What? Why does that matter?”

“You have someplace to be?” The teenager motioned to the back of the bike, there was an attachment of a back flat top and two baskets on the side. “The shop is just over in Rengedai. You can change in the employee room.”

Goro looked at him for a moment, confused. He wanted him to ride on the bike with him? In the rain. Someone he just met under five minutes ago. He looked him over; this idiot was soaked from head to toe. But then again, he was already half soaked.

“Rengedai is where?”

He reached up to twist some of his soaked locks in his fingers. “South of here.”

Goro let out a defeated sigh. “Fine.” He picked up his bag and stuffed it into one of the baskets. He held onto his suitcase and sat on the back of the bike. “This won’t take long, just don’t fall off.”

“You could just ride sensibl-“ in the middle of his sentence, they started moving. The boy immediately took off, the bike bumping down the sidewalk curb and the sound of a car horn blaring as he pulled out in front of it. Goro grabbed onto the basket to steady himself, the rain beating down on his head. The only thing in front of him was the back of this strange kid.   
  
  


By the time they reached ‘the shop’ as it had been referred to, he was completely soaked. He looked at the sign painted on the window as the teenager opened the door.

Hanakotoba.

It was a flower shop. He was still reading the sign when the door opened and he heard the boy start speaking to someone. He reached down to pick up a black and white cat; one that didn’t seem to mind being held against his wet shoulder. The creature peered over its owner’s shoulder at him, making a noise that was a mixture between purring and growling. He walked around the shop, hitting the lights and avoiding the displays without ever taking his eyes the cat. Was he whispering something to it? Possible to calm it down in the presence of a stranger.

Still, the way he avoided all the tables on memory alone, Goro could tell the boy knew this place well. He must have been working here for a long time.

Goro shut the door behind himself and stood on the welcome mat, letting the water drip off him. The other didn’t seem to care he was leaving a trail of water all over the tile. Finally, he stopped at the counter and set the cat down.

“The employee room is that white door in the back. You can get changed. I can give you a plastic bag for your wet clothes.” He turned around and leaned on the counter watching Goro.

“You’re just going to let me in there unattended?” He asked, tilting his head slightly.

“Yes.”

“I don’t think your boss would be alright with you letting a stranger into the back room by themselves.”

“My dad is the boss. He won’t care.”

The detective took a steady breath, “You should be more cautious. Just letting a stranger into this place, alone, giving them rides- You are aware that there’s a series of murders being investigated in this city, correct?”

The black haired boy snorted, his shoulders shaking as he tried not to laugh too hard.

“It’s not funny.” That was twice he told him that now. “For all you know, I could be a murderer. Don’t you exercise any caution?”

He watched as the other boy rolled his head around his shoulders. He seemed rather comfortable as he let his head come to a stop, resting at a tilt. He looked at him with a blank expression. In the light of the flower shop, and without the rain beating down he could clearly see he had gray eyes. Eyes that were staring at him with a strange distant indifference. He couldn’t remember the last time someone looked at him so clearly as if he didn’t matter.

“I let you in here because I’ve never seen you before… You stand out, from all the Shadows.”

“Shadows…?” Goro repeated the word back to him confused. What shadows? The ones against the train station?

“You have no idea who I am, do you?” he continued to stare at him, his eyes awash with indifference. Was it for Goro, or just the situation?

‘What kind of a question is that?’ Goro felt his gaze falter, he had to look away. The longer he held his gaze the more he felt his skin crawl. His intuition was warning him something was wrong with the way he looked at him; looked through him. Like he wasn’t a person, or even there at all.

“If you did, you wouldn’t have gotten on my bike. You wouldn’t have even spoken to me.” He looked back to see the other was now walking around the counter. “You should get changed. You have somewhere to be, right?”

Goro continued to watch him for a moment longer before grabbing his bags and beelining for the back room. He got changed in a hurry, something about that boy made him not want to stay here. He was unsettling. He didn’t think he was threatening, he was just unsettling.  
  
He kept thinking about his gray eyes and that vacant stare.

Empty. Aloof. Gone…

He stopped in the middle of buttoning up the white shirt he’d changed into. There was a mirror hanging on the wall, he stared at it for a second. The last time he’d seen a look so absent of anything had been nearly thirteen years ago.

After he finished getting changed and doing his best to dry his hair with a bunch of paper towels, Goro took out his phone and sighed. He was running behind… He wouldn’t have time to go to his hotel. His bag would just have to come with him.

He grabbed his things and came back out into the shop. To his surprise, the other young man had completely changed as well. He was now wearing a black shirt with a white button up over it and a green apron, on it a yellow flower with the name of the shop in the center. His hair, like Goro’s, was somewhat dried and settled on his head like a curly black mess.

His attention was focused on a standee behind the counter that he was weaving a flower arrangement into. Most of the plants were white. He couldn’t name them all if he had been asked, but he at least picked out the lilies. Perhaps it was a for a wedding? Or a funeral? He seemed to be taking a great deal of time with the arrangement, taking some flowers out and shifting them around with a great deal of care.

“I’m leaving,” he spoke, but the other boy didn’t lift his head. “I’m about an hour behind… But I appreciate the use of your room.”

“Do you have to go far?” He continued to work on the flowers before him.

“Hmn, I need to go to the Konan Ward.” He didn’t want to tell him he was going to the police station. That was none of his business.

“Oh?” He looked up this time, “That’s right next to here. You could walk. The rain stopped.” He looked back towards the shop window. Indeed, the rain had stopped.

“I’ll take a cab, thank you.” Goro started for the door, at least he wouldn’t have to go far. He’d go straight to the station. His hotel was still so far away.

“What hotel in Konan?”

He stopped at the door, “It’s not a hotel. I’m going to my meeting. Again, thank you for the use of your-”

“With your bags?” Goro turned to now see the teenager leaning over the counter. “Leave them here. Pick them up after.”

“…No.” Goro opened the shop door.

“That’s not going to look very professional, bringing your underwear to a meeting.”

Goro closed the shop door and walked back to the counter. He set down his clothing bag, staring at the boy behind the counter. “This is a long meeting. You’ll be closed by the time I get out.”

He watched as the boy reached down and pulled out his phone.

“I live close by. Call me and I’ll open the shop. And you get your bag.”

Goro waited for a minute before reached up and pulling out his phone. He extended it pressing the receive button for the teenager’s information.

‘Suou Akira’ came up as added to his contact. He stared at the name, feeling his tongue press itself to the roof of his mouth. He couldn’t speak for a moment.

“S-Suou-san, it could be late when I call. Are you sure your father won’t mind that?” He almost choked just saying the name.

“He’s used to me being out late.” He looked his phone. “I’ll be waiting, Akechi-kun.”


	3. Recognition and Reputation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments and kudos! It's been a hot minute since I played P2. I debating replaying it before doing this... But it's an AU so why not jump right in?
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

The last things Goro said to Akira pricked at his mind the entire ride to the station.

He’d be back soon, just put his things someplace no one would bother them. Of course, Suou had asked why? If something valuable was in his bag- he only left his clothes and a few books. His suitcase came with him. What was in the bag didn’t matter. All of it could be replaced. He warned the teenager he’d know if he tampered with it. But he was shrugged off.

Still, it bothered him how curious Suou was and how careless he seemed. And how he looked right through him.

And his name. Perhaps Suou was common around these parts. What were the odds of there being a relation to Detective Suou? Besides the teenager had said his father ran the flower shop. Not that he was a detective. Maybe he was an uncle? A cousin? Or as he originally hoped, just a common name…

He took his phone out of his pocket and looked at the name on his contact list. No, life was not that coincidental. The name meant nothing.

Goro shook his head, as if trying to shake the thought out of his mind as his taxi came to a stop. It didn’t matter, he’d only have to see him one more time.

Once inside the Konan Police Department, Goro was directed upstairs to the Special Investigations desk to check in. There were two female officers there were gossiping about nonsense when he interrupted them.

“Excuse me.” They paused, looking at him with a bit of surprise. “I’m Detective Akechi, from Tokyo SIU. I’m here to see Detective Suou.”

“Oh, _ you’re _ the one from Tokyo?” One woman spoke up, “Holy cow! You’re like ten!” She leaned forward in her seat.

“Can you please just direct me to his office? I’m already running late.”

“It’s around the corner,” the second woman spoke up, pointing behind her. “But you may want to wait outside until he’s done.”

“Thank you.” He walked away from the desk in a hurry, but could still hear the women talking. Now about him. The phrases ‘too young’, ‘unreal’, ‘kidding’ were tossed about. That wasn’t uncommon. Even back in Tokyo, everyone’s first impressions were always that he should not be there.

But that was why he  _ had  _ to be here, to prove to them that they were wrong and he was right. Sae-san accepted his input and presence much more readily than other adults. She found him dependable, accountable. But it was up to him to make the rest accept him.

Goro stopped in front of the door the women were talking about. Inside he could hear a few men talking, one almost on the verge of shouting.

“There’s no reason for there to have been a fourth- why wasn’t the team looking for him harder?”

“Dozens of missing person reports come in daily, one special investigation team cannot sort through all of them to determine which are kidnapping victims part of this case, which are runaways, and which are dead ends. If we had more resources-”

“You have more than enough resources! It’s due to  _ your _ chasing of nonsense leads!” The first voice snapped back. “The city is in a panic. At least make a move and arrest someone!”

“You want me to arrest someone just to calm things down? … I can think of one arrest that would smooth things over.”

“Watch the implications of your comments,” a third man spoke up, and though he wasn’t shouting, his voice was clearly raised. “It’s because your team can’t figure this out that we have to have someone from Tokyo come fix this situation. Keep up your remarks and you’ll be out, just like your idiot father.”

The door came swinging open and Goro came face to face with a tall man, with long pale blonde hair, wearing a long black coat with a red turtleneck underneath. The right side of his face was obscured by his chin-length hair. Despite it hiding half his face, there was a hint of decoration starting at the side of his nose and retreating beneath the locks. His boxed jaw and build would have almost made him someone’s definition of handsome except for the look in his visible eye. There was a lot of anger, and no sense of control. Even though his back was to the wall, he felt the urge to step back as he came out, followed by an older weasley-looking man with glasses and his graying hair combed back. 

The second closed the door and they walked past him, completely ignoring him. They were still talking, the blonde still raising his voice. Watching him speak as he walked by, Goro noted his lips seemed to twitch in annoyance at the end of each sentence.

“Why haven’t you fired him yet, Shimazu-san? Wasn’t this failure enough? How long are you going to let him insult me like that?”

“It’s easier said than done, Suou has a lot of support from the force and the citizens- But we’ll let the Tokyo detective handle him-“

The two rounded the corner. Goro considered going after them. He was the ‘Tokyo Detective’ they were expecting to ‘handle’ this… But his instincts told him to stay away. He looked back at the door. The only sound he heard now was a faint metal clicking. He pushed off the wall and knocked, opening the door when the person inside welcomed him to do so.

Inside was what he would expect for a typical detective’s office. A desk, shelves with a few books for references, filing cabinets with case information… Sitting behind the desk was a  dark brunet with ear length hair and brown eyes. His hair was darker and neater than Goro’s. He wore a red button up shirt, blue tie, with a lighter in his hand. He quickly glanced around the room, trying to spot any personal effects to see if he saw Akira’s face anywhere. There did appear to be a picture frame on the desk, but its back was to him. He had no reason to walk around the desk and look at it…

The detective stared at him for a moment before laughing, “Wow, your superior said to expect someone young… She didn’t warn me I would be babysitting.”

Goro felt his jaw clench behind his smile. Of course, even to this man he was too young for this job. Nevertheless, he’d do the same as usual and prove him wrong.

He approached the desk and bowed his head, still getting formalities out of the way.

“It’s nice to meet you, Suou-san. I’m Akechi Goro, Tokyo Special Investigations Unit. I look forward to assisting you with this case.”

“Tatsuya Suou.” He hand waved Goro’s welcoming, “Nothing to look forward to, unless you like mangled bodies and a blonde buffoon and his monkeys shouting recklessly each night in your office… I take it you saw him leave? Councilmen Sudou?”

“T-that man sits on the City Council?” He couldn’t help but let a bit of his surprise come out. That man aided in running this city? He didn’t look like he should be in charge of anything, not with that off-putting face. He wanted to question how…

“Nepotism,” Tatsuya must have sensed his confusion. “Sit down.” He motioned to a chair across from him, “The other with him was Chief Shimazu. They’re going to be hounding you a lot.”

“I, see…” Goro took his seat and watched at Tatsuya laid out three case folders on the desk, “You probably made the right call, coming in late today.”

“Oh! That- that wasn’t intentional… I had a problem at the train station. I would have been here sooner, if not for-“

“Just drop it.” Tatsuya folded his arms, the lighter still in one hand, “You’re here now. So, let’s get to work. What do you already know about this case?”

Goro looked at the files before him, he assumed they matched the ones in his suitcase, what he had been given to review. He reached out and pulled them towards him, but didn't open them.

“So far there have been four victims: The first two were found together over three months ago, believed to be a possible robbery-kidnapping at first. However the way the bodies were found horribly disfigured suggested a more complicated killing. A man and a woman: Higashi, Futoshi and Okubo, Rin. Found dead in the back of Okubo’s car. Their bodies, stitched together by their lower halves. Higashi was married, his wife reported him missing. Okubo had been picked up for prostitution multiple times.;

“The next victim, and when the case turned to the investigation of serial murderer was Yoshishita, Kaede. Known for gambling excessive amounts at the local Pachinko parlor and connected to a few underground casinos… Was found in the Hotel Pleiades, throat slit and bled dry. But no blood in the hotel room.”

“And the latest was Saito, Kyo, found three weeks ago. Turned up in a local park. He’s a journalist for a local publisher: Kismet. He was found missing his eyes and tongue.”

“Pretty good,” Tatsuya still sat with his arms crossed. He watched Goro recite all the murders without picking up a single folder. “Now what do you know about Sumaru City?”

“The city?” Goro paused, “There’s a population of roughly one million residents, it’s a tourist attraction for its beaches and mountain scenery, the city has-“

“An occult problem.” Tatsuya cut him off.

“Excuse me?”

“This city, for one reason or another, is great at attracting eccentrics, fortune tellers, mystic believers, and people that worship in ways that can only be described as ‘occult’.” He motioned to the filing cabinets to the side. “There’s tons of cases, of cults doing minor things- stealing members’ money, convincing people to sell their homes and business through false fortune telling. But we’ve also had major problems with them selling women and children, committing murder…” Tatsuya stopped for a second running his thumb over the front of the lighter in his hand.

“Even had one burn down a local shrine years ago…” he looked at Goro, “And this is another instance. I’m certain. There’s no set pattern of who and why, but the deaths are too elaborate. The victims are kidnapped, killed, and disfigured elsewhere and then brought back and staged. They have no connection to each other that we’ve found yet, but if we dig deep enough, I’m sure we’ll find one of this city’s enthusiastic worshiping groups at the center.”

Goro held his chin between his thumb and his finger, “Not one murder, but several? That does seem like a logical conclusion, based on the effort and time it would take to stage the bodies. Having a group all working together would allow you to move them with ease, especially into such public locations like the hotel. Members could work there, being them in, set them up…” he nodded. “I see. Do you have any leads on who this cult is or perhaps why they are doing this?”

“None yet. I believe it’s a new group… But the Chief and Sudou are still pushing the single murderer narrative on the public and the station. They want the team to focus on finding one guy. So I want you to focus on finding who these occultist are.”

“Just me?” Goro was shocked.

“Your superior, Nijima-san, said you were a genius. And you heard those two… Right now, you have the most freedom in this investigation. Use it to your advantage, you’re free to use all the information I’ve gathered here on city’s stranger residents. If you don’t think you can handle it, you can always go back to Tokyo.”

Goro shook his head, “No, I can handle it.” He watched Tatsuya rise to his feet. “I can get started right away.”

“Start in the morning, a fresh start will do you better.”

Goro reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, it was getting into the early evening now. And he had to go back and get his bag. “Alright, I’ll be here, bright and early, Suou-san.”

“Where are you staying?”

“At the Hotel Pleiades, so getting here will be no trou-“

“Did you check in yet?”

“Ah, no the hold up at the station ate into my time. I came here first.”

“You probably won’t get in there tonight then.”

“Huh!?” Goro tilted his head in confusion, “Why not?”

“The evenings, that place- Sudou takes over. The staff becomes consume with keeping him content… We have a spare room at my house. You can stay there tonight.”

Goro scratched the back of his head, “I see… Well, then… I need to pick up my things, I- uh, dropped them off to be held while I came here.”

“Fair enough,” Tatsuya pulled out his cellphone to exchange information with Goro. “I’ll text you my address. I’d give you a ride, but I doubt you want to ride on the back of my motorcycle.”

“Ah, yes, I’ve had enough of bikes for today.” He looked down at the address on his phone, missing Tatsuya’s confusion over his comment. His house was in Rengedai. That was convenient. “I’ll be there soon. Thank you.”   
  
  
  


Goro called a cab and then sent a text to Akira about heading back to the flower shop. The other boy responded with a simple ‘okay’. The ride back was much faster, but only because he knew where he was going now. When the taxi dropped him off the shop was still closed. He checked his phone to see if he’d gotten any other messages.

He had none.

It was another ten minutes before he heard a bike’s wheel turning up the road. He turned his head to see Suou riding as fast as he was the first time they met, this time with a black bag over his shoulder. He slowed down as he approached, smoothly hopping off his bike into a light jog to a complete stop. As soon as he was done moving, the black back on his shoulder shifted and the cat from before stuck its head out.

“Sorry, had to explain to Pops why I had to leave before finishing the dishes.” He unlocked the shop door and motioned for Goro to enter. “Bag is behind the counter.”

He didn’t really care why the other boy took so long. He just wanted his bag, “Well, thank you for holding my stuff.”

“It’s no problem,” he waited for Goro to come out before speaking again, “Did you get to your meeting on time?”

He glanced at Suou as he was locking the door. Why was he so curious about what he was doing? “Yes, thank you.”

“Did it go okay?”

“That’s really none of your business.” He pulled out his phone and started to call a ride. As he was on the phone, he noticed the other boy wasn’t leaving. “…Is there something else?”

“Not really, just wondering… How long will you be in Sumaru City?”

“Until my job is done.”

“What’s your job?”

Goro lowered his phone and looked back at the other teenager. He was staring at him; but it wasn’t blank like before. There was a hint of curiosity in it. He had to admit, he was curious about  _ why  _ this boy was curious about him. He couldn’t remember the last time someone his age talked to him so much. Even his conversations with Makoto were shorter than this. “It’s- I’m not really free to discuss it.”

“Oh.” He looked away. Must have been disappointing to hear. “Are you going to be working all the time?”

“Perhaps, I usually am.”

“You should contact me when you’re not. We can hang out.”

“Why?” Goro shook his head, “You don’t even know me.”

Suou shrugged, “I told you, you stand out from the Shadows.”

“What does that mean? Is that code for something?”

“No,” he shrugged, “It’s just how I feel.”

Goro didn’t have a response. And apparently Suou had nothing else to say to him. They stood in silence, looking at each other. It was uncomfortable. He wanted to look away, but kept searching his expression for something. Anything. His grey eyes were just cutting into him, and over what? Shadows? Was this one of the people Tatsuya was trying to warn him about?

When the taxi pulled up, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. A reason to leave. He got in giving Akira a quick ‘goodbye’. He was not going to contact him. Still, he looked back over his shoulder through the rear window. He was watching the taxi leave, only getting on his bike once it was a good distance away.

But he was riding after it? Well he supposed that did make since… The boy had come down the street this way to the shop. Once the cab rounded the corner he sat back in his seat and sighed.

That was that.   
  
  
  


The ride to the Tatsuya’s home was short, just a ten-minute drive. The house was in a little residential area in Rengedai; the homes were all set similar, two stories, little boxed-in gates, simple design and grey outside walls. What made the Suou house stand out were the flowers. The yard had an impressive flower bed.

He rang the buzzer and the door was opened almost instantly, not by Tatsuya but by another man with brown eyes and black hair, swept to the side covering most of the right side of his face, including part of his eye. They were both startled to see each other.

“Oh, I- Sorry I must have the wrong-“

“Akechi-san?” he pointed at him as he asked. Goro nodded and the door was opened the rest of the way. “You’re at the right house! Forgive me… I’m Jun, Tatsuya’s husband. Sorry I’m, waiting for our son to come home.”

“Oh, I-“ Goro nodded, quickly processing the information. The Suous consisted of three people, Tatsuya, Jun, and a son. “No it’s no trouble. I’m sorry I’m- not who you were expecting.” The knowledge made his chest heavy again.

He stepped inside taking off his shoes, and looking around. Jun called to Tatsuya and the other man came down the stairs to greet him. He gave Goro a quick tour of the downstairs, in case he needed anything in the middle of the night.

“The spare room his down here,” He motioned down a hall corner leading off from the front room. This is it on the left, the bathroom is at the end of the hall. To the right is our son’s room. He shouldn’t bother you. He’s not in a talkative mood when it comes to authority.”

“I see…” They were finishing up when the sound of a door opening and closing, followed by voices, carried up from the front room and filled the hall.

“That was much longer than twenty minutes.” Jun’s voice came first.

“We started talking… And I waited until they were in their car.” Goro took a deep breath at the sound of the second voice. It was familiar, more so than he wanted it to be. The weight that had settled in his chest was now restricting his ability to breathe.

“Who? Sakamoto? Mishima?”

“Pop, I told you, you don’t know him…” And now the voice was getting closer.

“That’s all the more reason for you to not go rushing out in the middle of the night to meet people we don’t know. What if they were the murderer?”

Jun came around the corner, hot on the heels of his teenage son. A mess of black hair, grey eyes, and glasses, with a bag over his shoulder holding his black cat.

Goro could feel the blood drain from his face as Akira raised his hand and pointed.

“Does that look like a murderer to you?”

Tatsuya looked back and forth between the two, “Wait, Akira, you know Akechi-san?”

“I splashed him with my bike, in the rain. At the train station. So I let him use the flower shop to get changed.”

Goro felt like he was going to throw up. He pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth to keep himself from doing just that. Why? Why was he here? Why did he have to be their son?

“So, Akira is the accident at the train station…”

“I’m, very sorry, Suou-san,” he turned to him. Not really sure why he was apologizing, but it felt like the best way to explain the situation. “I had no idea he was your son.”

“You don’t have to apologize, Akira should… You did right?”

Akira shrugged, “Can’t remember.”

“You didn’t…” Goro muttered, but turned to look at him with a smile, “It all worked out in the end. So, don’t worry about it.”

At that point Goro was certain he heard Tatsuya make a noise while in thought. Like a growl or more precisely a motor sputtering.

“Akira, try not to cause Akechi-san any trouble. Starting today, he’s working on the case with me.”

“Oh,” Akira glanced at Goro and smiled, “So you’re a detective. Well, be sure to be helpful to Dad.”

Akira walked past them and opened the door to his room. Jun called after him, letting him know he wasn’t off the hook forever.

Once the door was closed, the Suous allowed their guest to get settled in, though Goro wondered how settled in he could be across from their son. It was just one night. He could survive one night…

He unlocked his bag and lifted the lid, only for a piece of paper to fall out. He grabbed it and turned it over, shocked to see it was a note.

_ ‘Nothing really interesting in here. Guess you could have taken it with you. -Akira’ _

He flipped the lid down and inspected the lock. Nothing was broken. No signs it had been tampered with… He opened it and relocked it.

Goro crumpled the note in his hand and concluded: He did not like Akira Suou.


	4. Through the Eyes of a Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

Akira was soaking wet before he was even halfway across Yumezaki. He had been right to leave Morgana at the shop for his final round of deliveries. He usually brought the cat with him everywhere, but it had already started drizzling and his bag was not water resistant. If Morgana got soaked, he’d be upset for days.

The rain was befitting Sumaru, at least. It painted the world gray, obscured the light, the people, the buildings. Things could only be seen close up. From a distance everything looked like lonely shapes and shadows.

Not that he ever felt it was anything other than that.

He pedaled through the rain, letting the water soak him from head to toe, his gaze fixed forward. People were clearing off the streets, the cars slowed down to compensate for the lack of visibility. The sound of the steady downpour became the most prevalent element of the city.

Akira felt his body working to move his bike, pushing through the downpour. It churned around him with each turn of his wheel: wet rolling into gray, gray rolling into mist, mist rolling into shapes and shapes towering over him. Casting shadows on an empty hollow city that had nothing in it. Not even him.

Some part of his mind pricked at the thought that this was acceptable. Being totally alone in the drenched streets. He thought it could last forever. It wouldn’t be so bad. 

But at least the rain brought back fond memories. It used to always rain when he’d plan to spend a day out with Yuuske. Even if it was meant to be sunny all day, it would still rain. All of their friends would grumble and complain, but he came to like the rain. It meant Yuuske was coming. But it hadn’t meant that in three years now. Now it just meant the city was grayer than usual.  
  
He continued to ride through the streets, letting muscle memory carry him back to Hanakotoba. He had to return to the shop to remake a funeral standee. The customer had already accepted it. Unfortunately, his father had seen it before it went out the door.

It was hard to sneak things past Jun. Even if the customers didn’t understand his arrangements, his dad did. He had to make it ‘appropriate for a mourning ceremony’.

That and he had to pick up Morgana.

He couldn’t leave Morgana behind. Even if he wanted to. The cat would probably run away if he really did ride off and never come back. His parents would move on, his friends were leaving after graduation anyway, but Morgana only had him. Even if he left the cat with Ann, he suspected eventually he’d leave to go look for him.

Morgana was one of the few definitive things in his life. The fact that he was always there waiting was a reassurance that Akira was here. Sumaru City was here. Even if it was just a bunch of distorted shadows waiting to be washed away with the rain.

He rounded the corner at the next intersection, riding past the train station now.  
  
His clothes were sticking to his skin. The blue third year Kasugayama uniform was clutching at every inch of him. He hadn’t even gone to school today, but he had to wear the uniform when he left the house this morning. At least to give the illusion that he was going to go. 

An illusion. 

That was what his mind told him was coming up as he was passing the train station. There was an elaborate distortion standing there, in a brown coat, and brown hair looking his way. 

It had to be fake. No one looked his way. 

No one was here. 

It wasn’t real. It was new, and crisp, and colored, but fake. It could be easily washed away with everything else. He would just ride past it, and watch it fade away. 

Akira leaned forward on his bike, cycling faster, pushing into the rainwater as he raced passed the young man on the sidewalk. He heard him call out, shouting about the coldness of the water. He glanced back over his shoulder and slowed down. No, no he wasn’t imagining this one, it was real. 

He turned the bike around, and made his way back to the other. Upon closer inspection, he looked to be about his age. But he wasn’t wearing a high school uniform. Maybe he’d graduated already?  He was soaked with water from the waist down.

“You-“ he started talking, he was stuttering over his words, “You-!”  
  
“Wow, you got it good,” Akira couldn’t help but smile as he spoke. His lips curling upward. He could feel his face brightening as he grinned at the end of his smile. This was someone new. _He didn’t belong here._ That’s why he stood out.  
  
“It’s not funny,” the other started to scold him. Akira let his smile fade, but his interest didn’t. Someone his age, standing alone on the side of the road. He never knew anyone else his age to be alone, and seem to be comfortable, outside of himself.

“You shouldn’t stand so close to the puddles.” He kept his tone neutral.  He wouldn’t let him catch on. He lifted his bike up onto the side walk, “You’re not the only one in a hurry, I have to open the shop back up.” He glanced him over. He really did soak him pretty good, but his bag seemed alright. “Is your bag water resistant?”  
  
“What? Why does that matter?”  
  
Akira motioned to the back of his bike, “You have someplace to be? The shop is just over in Rengedai. You can change in the employee room.”  
  
He waited for a response. The other’s brown eyes fixed on him. The way he blinked, Akira could only imagine he was confused, perhaps still in shock from being hit by all that water. He didn’t say anything else. He wasn’t going to move until he gave him a yes or a no. So, he stood there, holding his bike, waiting, staring back at brown eyes scrolling over him with a scrutinizing wince.  
  
“Rengedai is where?”  
  
Finally, he thought he was never going to speak again. He reached up to grab some of the hair that was sticking to his forehead, twisting it around, “South of here.” He had to try not to smile again as the other sighed. He was defeated. He let out a hollow ‘Fine’ before lifting his bags to put them on his bike and then got on himself.  
  
“This won’t take long, just don’t fall off.” That was a fair warning. Akira put his leg over the seat and turned back toward the street. He was sure his new passenger was saying something to him, but it was cut off by the sound of car horn, and now the rain beating down on his head.  
  
The rain; somehow he’d forgotten. Even though he was soaked head to toe, and he’d just done the same to someone else. The sudden splash of something different distracted him even if it was just a fleeting moment.  
  
‘If it hadn’t rained, I’d have gone right by him. Maybe the rain is good for something again…’  
  
  
  
He pulled up to Hanakotoba and hopped off his bike with ease. He glanced over his shoulder at the person he’d acquired at the train station. He was just as wet as he was now. He was studying the shop’s sign while Akira opened the door.  
  
Standing right inside the doorway was Morgana. The feline probably heard the bike coming a mile away and got up to greet him. He was all purrs at first, until he detected there was someone else with Akira.  
  
“Stop that, it’s fine…” He reached down to scoop him up and rest him against his shoulder. The cat slightly clawed at him to pull its head up and over to get a look at the new person. Morgana did not like new things like Akira did. He preferred what he already knew and who he already recognized. “He’s not here to hurt you…”  
  
He circled around the store hitting the lights and trying to console his pet. It wasn’t working. By the time he put Morgana on the counter the cat’s tail was flicking angrily.  
  
He turned to the front door and leaned against the counter, “The employee room is the white door in the back. You can get changed there. I can give you a plastic bag for your wet clothes.”  
  
He questioned him, of course he did. Maybe it was odd that he just let a total stranger into the building and offered to let him borrow a room. But he did splash him with rain water. And his parents did raise him to be polite. Sometimes he tried, if people would let him…  
  
“My dad is the boss, he won’t care.”  
  
“You should be more cautious. Just letting a stranger into this place, alone, giving them rides- You are aware that there’s a series of murders being investigated in this city, correct?”  
  
Akira snorted, he had to control himself form laughing. From opening his mouth and responding with ‘Yes, Dad,’ as he had already been told this time and time again. Though usually when Tatsuya was scolding him for being out late, his tone was a bit harsher.  Still, it was amusing to have someone else reprimand him.  
  
“I let you in here because I’ve never seen you before…” He had a good handle on most of the people in this area. He’d spent enough time watching crowds pass him by to know what faces to expect to see and where. And his face, was new. He thought it was fake, a trick of his mind trying to create something worthwhile out of all the gray and black mess it usually forced upon him. “You stand out, from all the Shadows.”  
  
“Shadows…?”  
  
Akira hesitated. He felt his chest swell with tension. He wanted to take that back. Every time he brings up the Shadows, no one understood: not his parents, friends or even the therapist. Why would someone he just met understand. The Shadows: the people, the buildings, the streets, the cars… They were all just this mass of moving darkness. A whole lot of nothing. Sometimes even he felt he was part of that. Nothing, there was nothing in this city. Not even him. Just Shadows. 

“You have no idea who I am, do you?”  
  
He stared at the teenager in the doorway. For the first time since he saw him, he wasn’t thinking about him. Slipping back into his thoughts from earlier. Maybe he could just go? But even if someone from the outside didn’t get it, where would he go? What would he do? Maybe there was nothing beyond Sumaru either… Maybe the entire world was just nothing.  
  
“If you did, you wouldn’t have gotten on my bike. You wouldn’t have spoken to me.”  Akira pushed off the counter. What was the point? What was he hoping for? As soon as he left, as soon as he was out there in the city he’d join the rest. Someone would tell him about Akira Suou. Someone would warn him.  
  
It didn’t matter.  
  
“You should get changed. You have somewhere to be right?”  
  
He didn’t look over at the other teenager as he grabbed his bag and went straight to the back room. Akira felt his teeth clenching as he dug under the counter to find a spare uniform. He’d change in the bathroom.

 

Maybe he was wrong. What had he been hoping for when he said that? That his reaction would be anything other than confused? It just made his mind turn over, a foolish expectation. The last time he met with anything other than confusion was Yuuske. Ranting on about the tragedy that Akira didn’t see the world in color. That was wrong of course, but his reaction was so genuine with concern. Akira could say anything and the other boy would never react as if he was strange. They were strange together. He missed that.

He changed and tossed his school uniform on the ground behind the counter before starting work on the last order he had to do for the day. It was going to be picked up tomorrow. A standee for a funeral. He’d made it once before. Thought it looked great. He didn’t lift his head when the back door opened and his guest walked out.

“I’m leaving.”

“Do you have far to go?” He still didn’t lift his head as the other walked across the room. He was shooting off questions now out of habit, automated response, he was going to let him go until, the bags at his side caught his attention.  
  
“-Leave them here. Pick them up after.”  
  
“No.”  
  
A ‘No’. So, he was resistant to this idea? “It’s not going to look very professional, bringing your underwear to a meeting.”

That got him. He turned around and put just one bag up on the counter. He met his gaze with tired annoyance and Akira had to fight down the urge to smile. Instead he pulled out his phone so they could exchange numbers.  
  
“I live close by. Call me and I’ll open the shop. And you get your bag.”  
  
That should have been it. He’d let him leave his bag, and then he’d go on about his day. He looked down at the phone and newly registered name. Akechi Goro.  
  
“S-suou-san, it could be late when I call. Are you sure your father won’t mind that?”  
  
Akira didn’t stop looking at his phone. Was he already reacting to his name?  
  
“He’s used to me being out late. I’ll be waiting Akechi-kun…”  
  
Akira kept his eyes on him as he walked out the door. He’d asked him to just store the bag someplace no one would bother it. However Akechi kept glancing back at him until his cab arrived.  
  
He had reacted to his name, why? Did he know him? He didn’t know Akechi.  
  
Akira reached up and turned the luggage bag around, staring at it.  
  
“What do you say, Morgana?” He looked over at his cat on the edge of the counter. The creature slowly blinked it’s eyes and yawned. Akira picked up the luggage, his school bag, and exited from behind the counter, only stopping to lock the shop door before retreating into the back room. Morgana followed.  
  
He tossed the bag on the floor before sitting in front of it with his legs crossed. He turned his bag upside down letting his things spill out before picking up a case full of homemade lock picks.  
  
“Okay, what’s in here…” Akira picked up the lock rolling it over in his fingers. Combination, but with an emergency key lock. He tilted it up and slid two pieces of metal into the key hole. Slowly turning and clicking, pulling back and pushing in deeper, listening to the tumblers fall in and out of place.  
  
Morgana sat on the luggage bag, occasionally reaching up to paw at his hands. Akira liked to think he was giving him approval or disapproval on his next move, but it was just playful curiosity.  
  
The lock finally clicked opened and Akira raised his head with an appropriate nod.  
  
Unfortunately, there was nothing in the bag just the things you would expect. Just changes of clothes, personal hygiene items, nothing that stood out.  
  
The briefcase… He took that with him. That probably had all the interesting things in it. Akira opened his mouth and let out a long sigh.  
  
“Well, I wasted that lock pick…” He started to close the lid, when he felt the weight shift on the upper half of the bag. He raised it back up and felt something clunk around in the inner compartment. Akira reached up and unzipped the top pocket; inside there were a hand full of books. Novels to be exact.  
  
“A murder mystery?” He pulled one out and glanced at the back cover, “Just mysteries in general.” He blinked a few times taking the knowledge in. “He likes mysteries…” Akira took out another book, and another. It was true they were all mysteries, murder, theft, kidnapping- he stopped on the last book.  
  
The cover was so worn most of the words where faded off, and the edges off the pages felt soft from being over handled, and the back cover was pealing a bit. This one was old, so old. It could probably easily be replaced, but he was keeping it. He’d clearly read it more than enough times to not need it. Akira ran his thumb over the pages, listening to them. It wasn’t that the book wasn’t well taken care of, no in fact, it was probably better looked after than all the others. Flipping it open he saw passages highlighted, pages tabbed off, little notes written in the margins. Akira turned it over and quickly read the back.

“This one is a biography? … Masayoshi Shido?” he looked up at Morgana. The cat only yawned and let out a long dull meow. Akira thumbed through the book again. A book about a politician. Akira stopped on an image of Shido. He traced his finger of it. His face felt familiar, in a way that made his stomach flip. He closed the book. Was Akechi into politics? Or just this politician? Either way this book was different. 

It had value to him.  
  
Akira held the book up, holding it against the light overhead.  
  
“This is it, Morgana. This book, is important,” he continued to hold it up. He wanted it. Whatever feelings or significance this book held for Akechi, Akira wanted it. It’s what kept him grounded, what made the world real for him. “…But if I take it now, he’ll know it was me.”  
  
He put the book back, along with the others. It would be nice to have for his collection. He locked the bag and stood up. Akira picked up his cat and looked down at the bag as he scratched Morgana’s head.  
  
“Well, looks like I was right. I’ll have to see more of Akechi after all.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to go up along with chapter 3, but lol my net freaked out for a good hour.


	5. A Bottle is Worth a Thousand Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally need to respond to comments, but I'm also horrible at human interaction. But I love you all. Thnx.
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

Goro had always been a light sleeper.  
  
He hadn’t really been expecting a lot of well rested nights in Sumaru. When he slept anywhere that wasn’t his apartment, he often woke up throughout the night. However, he also hadn’t planned to spend his first night in Sumaru wide awake.  
  
He had tried to close his eyes after settling in the guest bed in the Suou household, and they stayed closed for about ten minutes. It was hard to sleep when someone who had violated his privacy was staying in the room across the hall.  
  
Akira’s opening of his luggage, added with his strange curiosity and insistence to know more about him, made Goro paranoid. He laid awake all-night, thinking that every noise he heard, every creak of the unfamiliar house was the Suou’s son, getting up and getting ready to come into his room. 

What was wrong with Tatsuya’s son anyway? There was clearly something off about him. The way he spoke, the way he acted, the way he stared…  
  
‘-And who breaks into people luggage? His father works for the local law enforcement. He has to know that’s a crime. And to be so brazen as to leave a Goddamn letter…’ 

Goro rolled onto his side and grabbed his phone form the night stand. It was almost five. He hadn’t slept at all. 

He sat up with a sigh and ran both his hands through his hair. 

He’ll sleep tonight, at the hotel. That’s what he told himself. He’s up. It will be dawn soon. He can get up get an early start, get out of here and get checked into Pleiades, and then get to work. Work would take his mind off Akira Suou.  
  
Goro opened the door to his room slowly, peaking his head out and staring across the dark hall at the other door. He didn’t hear any movement. Though he faintly heard someone walking around upstairs. More than likely Tatsuya or Jun. He stepped out into the hall and made his way down to the bathroom. 

There was no way in hell he was going to take anything more than quick shower here. First, he had to leave his stuff unattended while in here, and second even though he could lock the door, Akira had already proven that locks meant _nothing_ to him.  
  
Just a quick shower, dry off, brush his teeth, get out and get his stuff and leave. He could do all that in under thirty minutes. 

Shower. Check. Dry off. Check. Brush his teeth. Check.  
  
Stare at his reflection in the steamed-up medicine cabinet mirror.  
  
Goro wasn’t really thinking about his reflection, per say, while he brushed his teeth, but more about the cabinet. This had to be Akira’s bathroom, right? There were already personal effects in here. Many times, when inspecting homes for information he found people hid things in cabinets, drawers, dressers… A medicine cabinet was a good place for quick glimpses of information. He raised his hand tapping on the mirror steadily. He had no reason, however, to go snooping through Akira’s things.  
  
Then again Akira had already violated his privacy.  So screw it.  
  
Goro opened the cabinet with a quick swing and peered inside. He wasn’t sure what he’d find, more than likely the typical household garbage of band aids, medication for colds or headaches, prescriptions.  
  
“…Lots of prescriptions,” he leaned forward on the sink looking at the three shelves. They were all full. After a moment of consideration, he figured he’d start at the top. He reached down and pulled down the first container. The label was faded, the bottle was half full. This one was years old, extremely low dosage. He glanced at the medication name and the doctor: Intuniv; Sonomura. Neither rang a bell.  
  
Putting it back, he grabbed the next bottle. This one only had two pills left in it, bottle was still old. The date was four years ago.  
  
“Doctor is Sonomura again, these are clearly old, why keep them?” he turned the bottle over and his eyes narrowed at the label. “Ave- Aven- it’s all faded.”  
  
He set it back and skipped the next top shelf bottle to grab a more legible bottle off the second shelf. This one he recognized. Sertraline; it’s for depression. A serotonin increaser. This bottle is only three years old. Its only got a few pills left in it. Goro rolled the bottle around in his hands, his lips pressed together.  
  
He remembered his old doctor giving him a prescription for this. One that he threw away. An absurd idea, that he was suffering depression. That was high school. He wasn’t sleeping, he wasn’t eating, he was obsessing over everything that had happened, getting out of foster care, exposing his caretakers for abuse, and fraud, reliving that night his mother never got up.  
  
He tossed the bottle in the trash.  
  
Trash memories and a trash prescription.  
  
“What else is in here… Ni-am? God why does he keep all these. This is three years ago as well. At least it says it’s for anxiety.” He turned the bottle upside down. It was full though. 

He doesn’t take these. Or at least it looks like he takes some. 

One of _those_ patients. Doctors give him a treatment and he just ignores it. No wonder he’s strange…  
  
The next ones were newer. But the bottles ranged from half empty to full. And glancing at the dosage distribution it was much higher than the previous bottles Sonomura had prescribed.  
  
“-A new doctor…Sawada?” These are from recent dates. Prescribed around the same time. Within months of each other. Was it healthy to take all of these at once? At least the others seemed to be stretches apart. The names however meant nothing to him at a glance. Citalopram, Lurasidone, Fluvoxamine, Risperidone… Still he commit them to memory. He could look them up on his phone.  
  
He turned the last bottle over. This one had one pill in it. So he’s taking this one? Or maybe he’s just throwing it away.  
  
Goro closed the cabinet just as he heard the bathroom door rattle. He locked it, of course. He didn’t trust the Suou’s son. It rattled a second time before he finally knocked on it.  
  
Goro eyed the door, pressing his lips together.  
  
He’s going to have to deal with him. His curiosity held him up. Oh well, it was possibly a worthwhile trade.  
  
He unlocked the door and opened it, giving his best morning greeting as possible. Akira was leaning against the door frame, a black shirt and long, baggy green pants, his eyes were half open, like he was still struggling to wake up.  
  
“Good morning, Suou-san.”  
  
“Hmn… It’s too early for smiles,” Akira ran his fingers through his hair. Despite being half awake, Goro caught that he was scanning him up and down. Leave it to this kid to make the day start uncomfortable. “How did you sleep?”  
  
“Perfectly fine, thank you.” 

“Really?” he leaned forward, causing Goro to back up, “Under your eyes, it’s a little dark… Like you didn’t sleep.”  
  
Goro kept smiling at him, but he felt himself press his lips together a bit tighter. He didn’t answer he just, walked around Akira. He was too close to him, it was too early, and he was not dressed enough for this bullshit. He wasn’t going to deal with it. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.”  
  
“…Yeah, you are.”  
  
Goro stopped at his door, snapping his head back to question Akira, but the bathroom door was already shut. 

Get dressed and get out of this house. That was all he through to himself as he slammed his door.

 

  
  
  
Goro had his things packed and was dressed in under five minutes. He made his way out to the front of the house with his lips pressed together in annoyance. He half thought about looking up the doctors, Sonomura and Sawada… They must be local. But what would he gain from it? He half registered that he heard dishes clinking in the kitchen… 

It would be rude to walk out without saying good bye to his hosts.  
  
He dropped his bags by the front door before making his way into the kitchen where Jun was preparing breakfast.  
  
“Good morning, Suou-san.” Goro greeted him with a placid smile, “Thank you again for the use of your room.”  
  
“Akechi-san, good morning.” Jun motioned to the table across the room, “Have a seat, I’ll make you some breakfast-“  
  
“Oh, no, I couldn’t impose any more. I’m actually going to call a cab and get a ride to my hotel. I’d like to be out of your family’s way as soon as I can. I know an unexpected guest can be a bother.”  
  
“A bother?” Jun laughed, “Are you kidding? Sit down and eat. You’re working with my husband right? It’d be rude to send you out the door on an empty stomach.”  
  
Goro glanced at the table; he wasn’t hungry. And staying meant he’d have to talk to Akira. “I- I do appreciate your hospitality. Perhaps another day? I was late yesterday, and I want to make it up to your husband today by getting an early start.”  
  
Jun stared at him, his expression a mixture of surprise and concern. “You’re only nineteen right? How are you such a workaholic at this age?” he shook his head. “Perhaps it’s a detective thing… At least have a cup of coffee.”  
  
“Oh, no, I- can’t. I,” Goro laughed, “I’ve become a bit of a coffee snob. I, can’t really drink it any more unless I’m at a café back home. I always go there with Sae-san, my superior. Nothing else taste the same.”  
  
“I see.”  
  
Goro bowed his head to him, thanking him again before turning back to the door. He pulled out his phone to call when he heard his name.  
  
Tatsuya was standing at the base of the stairs, fixing his tie, “You’re already up. Are you leaving?” He turned his head towards the bags at the door. “Give me a second, I’ll give you a ride to your hotel.” Tatsuya raised one hand as Goro started to protest about riding on a motorcycle with his luggage. “We’ll borrow Jun’s car. He won’t mind.”  
  
“I won’t!?” Jun raised his voice from the kitchen. He clearly wasn’t mad, but he was expressing his own annoyance over not being asked.  
  
“Would you like my bike in exchange?”  
  
“…No.”  
  
Tatsuya made his way over to the kitchen to kiss his husband on the cheek. He took a cup of coffee form him before turning back towards Goro, “Give me just a second and we’ll go.” Tatsuya made his way over to the hallway, where he stood and waited, drinking his coffee. He didn’t have to wait long before Akira emerged wearing his blue school uniform. “Grab some food to go, I’m taking you to school.”  
  
Akira stopped and looked at him. He had his bag slung over his shoulder; Goro could see it was moving. Was the cat in there?  
  
“You are? I can get to school on my own.”  
  
“Can you? They’ve called the last three days and said you haven’t been to class.” 

Akira lowered his head, his shoulders slumping.  
  
“You need to go to class, Akira.” Jun spoke up from the kitchen, “It’s your senior year. Don’t you want to graduate with your friends?”  
  
“…All my friends go to Seven Sisters.” Akira kept his head down as he stepped around his Dad and made his way to the door and outside. He didn’t get anything to eat.  
  
Jun folded his arms, “I told you to let me take him…”  
  
Tatsuya walked back over to the counter to set down his now empty mug, “You would take it easy on him, Jun.”  
  
“Someone has to,” taking the mug and turning away Jun offered a calm advisory to not yell. Tatsuya shook his head before motioning for Goro to follow him out. He tossed his luggage in the trunk of the car. Akira was already sitting in the back seat looking out the window with the same dull look on his face.  
  
  


 

Goro sat in the passenger’s seat. At least here Akira wouldn’t talk to him he hoped, but it was still awkward. The Suous were clearly concerned about Akira. But it didn’t seem that Akira was concerned about himself. Goro pulled out his phone and typed in the names of the doctors he read on the bottles.  
  
A search result came back for Sumaru City: Hiiragi Therapy. Four doctors on staff, but two names matched up: Maki Sonomura and Jinnosuke Sawada. The practice was in the same district as the police station. He could stop in there… But there was no reason they’d give him information. Not to mention it would break doctor patient confidentiality.  
  
He could at least look up the prescriptions. Goro typed in the medications Sawada prescribed, his eyebrows raising. Anit--depressants, treatment for OCD, anti-psychotics… That didn’t seem right to take all that at once. 

“Something interesting?” Tatsuya glanced at him, he couldn’t see his phone, but he could see his face.  
  
“Oh, just plotting out where I’m going to start this investigation. I did come late yesterday, I want to optimize my efforts for today.”  
  
The older detective laughed, “Amazing. I can’t get half my team to get going before ten, and you’re already working.”  
  
“So you do always work…” Akira finally spoke form the back seat. Goro looked over his shoulder to see him petting Morgana’s head as it stuck out of his bag. “That’s unfortunate.”  
  
Tatusya glanced back at his son. He didn’t say anything, but there seemed to be an implication of a warning. One that Akira ignored, much to Goro’s annoyance.  
  
“Akechi-kun, what kind of things do you like?”  
  
‘Why does that matter?’ Goro glanced to the side out his window, hoping neither of the Suous saw his expression falter into a grimace. “Oh, you know just a little of this and that. Simple hobbies that won’t take up a lot of time from work-”  
  
“Like reading?” Akira’s question made Goro shift in his seat. “What about following politics?”  
  
At that one Goro turned around in his seat to glare. He locked eyes with Akira. The other boy’s faces was straight. He wasn’t even smiling, but when their eyes locked Goro felt he was teasing him. They were wider than they were yesterday; than this morning even, with hint of amusement reflecting in them. 

The detective felt like if Tatsuya wasn’t here he’d strike Akira across is smug face. 

“Akira.” Tatsuya spoke up. This time making his warning verbal. Did he know what was going on? Or was this a regular series of events with his son? 

The rest of the car ride was quiet until they pulled up to Akira’s school. Goro looked at the groups of students all walking up in their uniforms. He noted he didn’t see any female students.  
  
“Try to stay the entire day, won’t you?” Tatsuya turned around to watch Akira get out of the car. “And don’t forget your appointment this afternoon. Alright?”  
  
Akira nodded, “I know to go to that, Dad. I dragged off to Morimoto if I miss even one.” He closed his door and started to walk away, hands in his pockets and head down. However he stopped suddenly and turned around, his gaze settling right on Goro. “See you later, Akechi-kun.”  
  
Goro took a deep breath at the farewell. Why? He didn’t respond to him. Instead turning and looking ahead. But still he caught Tatsuya staring at him. Great. Now he was suspicious of him and Akira. Not that there was reason to be, but this was the last thing he wanted. He needed things to go smoothly with Tatsuya. He was his main source of information and support here. Last thing he need was him questioning why he and his son were interested in each other.  
  
No, why Akira was interested in him. This curiosity was not mutual.

 

Not in the least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I've been on some of those medications before. The first time I took risperidone I felt like I was dying for twelve+ hours. Guess I just thought it was worth noting some of this mental health stuff I know from first hand.


	6. Golden Wings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

After being dropped off by Tatsuya at Pleiades, Goro checked in and dropped his luggage at his room. He was surprised by the size of it: One queen sized bed, a large bathroom. Goro would have wondered why Sae got him a room with so much space, had it not been for the desk area. One side of the room had a good sized work station, one he could set up his computer on and have plenty of room to spread paper work out over.  
  
Well it was a luxury hotel. Even the smaller rooms probably had ample ‘living space’. But all he really would use was the desk.  
  
He was back at Konan police department within thirty minutes. By the time he arrived the girls at the desk told him Tatsuya was already out with members of his team. But he left a message for Goro to start his half of the investigation and they’d regroup later.  
  
He was fine with that. Having to work with the entire team would more than likely slow him down. Most of the times when he had to deal with older investigators they constantly wanted to second guess his work. He was relieved that Tatsuya seemed to trust him to carry things out on his own.  
  
Or maybe really he didn’t feel like ‘babysitting’ him and this occult business was just a wild goose chase. 

Either way, he was going to give it his full attention. 

He made his way into Tatsuya’s office and began going through the files in his cabinets. 

The detective hadn’t been joking about the cities occult problem at least. There were years of files on investigations into money scams for cults; women reporting harassment and detainment from extreme groups; dozens of people reporting fraud from ‘Wang Long’ fortunetelling schemes. 

Goro poured over the files for a few hours, taking notes of the ones that seemed interesting. However he wasn’t really sure how usefully the information was until he arrived at a more recent file. 

The detective involved was listed at Suou, but just glancing at the year, it couldn’t have been Tatsuya. He’d have been around seven when this report was written up. On the outside of the folder the file had been labeled ‘Dismissed’.  
  
Goro cleared everything else off his side of the desk and started to flip through it. Bits of information here and there had been blacked out and redacted. So it wasn’t just dismissed, but parts of this case were covered up. 

Inside were pictures of burnt out buildings; looked to be an old shrine, and office building, a museum. The report typed up talked about a group called the New World Order. Accusations of arson, kidnapping, attempted murder, and a list of suspected members.  
  
“Tatsuzou Sudou? And Tatsuya Sudou…” Goro frowned. “The current Councilmen was a suspected cult member when he was a teenager? And the case was dismissed…” He turned the page and began reviewing the list of crimes and victims, scanning through for Sudou’s name. It wasn’t listed, but Tatsuya’s was. Along with a girl Amano, Maya. However all the information what happened was blacked out.  
  
“I doubt Tatsuya will tell me…” He pulled out his phone and plugged in ‘Amano, Maya + Sumaru City’ into his phone. To his surprise a recent hit came back.  
  
“Amano, Maya, Chief Editor of _Coolest_ _Magazine_ , Kismet Publishing. Sumaru City… That’s the same publisher one of the victims worked for.”  
  
Goro put his phone away and closed up the file. He stuck it into his briefcase. He’d have to make copies of it later. For now, he was going to head to Kismet Publishing. 

Perhaps Amano would have something to say about the oddities of this city. 

 

 

Kismet Publishing was located in upper Aoba, in between Kona and Narumi. It wasn’t far from the police station, but still a good walk. Goro had opted to go on foot this time. He did need to explore this city more. Back home in Tokyo, when he had down time he would walk or bike around, just looking for new places. Specially places to eat. It was a good conversation starter, and it was something to do, other than being cooped up in his apartment.  
  
Ironically, as much as he loved to go out and find places to eat, he usually turned down invitations to do so, unless it was from colleges. How many times had he turned down Makoto and Haru now? He went out with Sae all the time, but never her younger sister. 

Perhaps he should go out to eat with Tatsuya. He may talk to him about the file if he makes their relationship a bit friendlier.

 

 

He arrived at Kismet shortly after lunch time. No wonder he had been thinking about food. He hadn’t eaten this morning, and he still hadn’t eaten this afternoon. He hadn’t even had a cup of coffee and he barely slept last night. 

Yeah, after this he’d have to find a shop, or a vending machine. 

Goro walked in to the front lobby of the Kismet. It was a typical office building. The walls were lined with blown up versions of the different magazines they published, a few potted plants, waiting area, and a semicircle desk with an old receptionist across from the front door.

He approached and introduced himself. The woman was skeptical, when he gave her his credentials. Clearly, she didn’t believe someone his age was a detective. Well, better than being her age and being a secretary he thought. She reached over to an intercom on her desk and asked if Amano had returned from her lunch.  
  
Upon getting confirmation she gave Goro directions to the elevator and which floor the _Coolest_ offices was on. 

He briefly looked up the magazine during his walk. It was locally run and distributed. But also branched out to an online editon. The target audience was teenagers.  
  
He stepped off onto the floor listening, taking in the sounds of the staff chatting, people laughing, phones ringing and someone shouting about a stuck printer. It was so much more noisy than the police department. 

He walked past a few staff members sitting out at the open desk and scanned the closed doors looking for Maya’s name. Before he reached her office he saw Saito’s door and came to a stop.  
  
‘Saito, Kyo… This was the latest victim.’ Goro reached over and tried the door. It was locked of course.  
  
“Can I help you?” A woman’s voice called out to him. Her tone came across as perky, not annoyed. So he turned to face her, with his most genuine smile. Standing down the hall, in the doorway was a woman with long black hair, half pulled over one shoulder, the rest tumbling down her back. She had brown eyes, and was wearing a tan jacket over a light pink shirt and black pants.  
  
Peeking out from around her was a short hired redheaded woman with a beauty mark under her right eye and the tips of her hair dyed white. She had a green jacket tossed over her shoulder held with one hand and holding a takeout box in her other. She had on a white sleeveless shirt and a skirt down to her knees, a darker green than her jacket. While the woman with black hair was smiling at him, the red head was eyeing him with an eyebrow raised. 

“Ah, yes, I’m looking for Amano, Maya. Chief Editor of _Coolest_?” 

The black haired woman perked up, “You’re looking for me!”  
  
“If you’re looking for Maya, why are you trying to open a locked door?”  
  
“He probably just wanted to ask someone where I was, Ulala.”  
  
“…He walked past ALL the staff to try the locked door?”  
  
Goro cleared his throat. “Pardon me, I did have reason to try that door.” Goro approached the two women, this time introducing himself, “I’m Detective Akechi, Goro. Tokyo Special Investigations. I’ve been assigned to help the investigation unit here in Sumaru with the current serial killer case.”  
  
At the end of his sentence Maya’s face lit up, “Oh! Tatsuya told me they sent him a kid! I thought he was joking!”  
  
“You’re a detective?” Ulala tilted her head skeptically. “Wow, Shimazu-san really _is_ trying to get Tatsuya fired.”  
  
Goro felt himself take a deep breath at the red head’s words. He watched her turn to Maya and nudge her playfully with her elbow.  
  
“See you tomorrow? Same time? You pick.” Maya stepped aside to let Ulala out of her office, and she ushered Goro in. The back of her jacket had a big pink heart on it with a little white rabbit hugging the top. Rather childish, Goro felt.  
  
She motioned for him to take a seat in one of the two chairs in front of her desk. Goro glanced around the office, noting it was very personalized. And very messy. She had her own set of file cabinets, some with drawers not closed all the way due to being over stuffed. There were stacks of boxes with older magazine issues around the walls. She had a computer at her desk, but there was also a laptop next to it, supported on another stack of magazine boxes.  
  
There were lots of little novelty knickknacks on her desk, along with pictures. It was the pictures that caught his attention for the longest. One that must have been of Maya as a child, with short black hair standing with a group of four kids: a blond girl, a pudgy boy, and two closest to her had to be Tatsuya and Jun. Jun even still had his hair swept to the same side.  
  
There was another of Maya, not as old as she was now, but still an adult, posing excitedly with a little boy with horribly tangled curly black hair, holding a stuffed rabbit that looked as if it should have been thrown away ages ago, and another man with dyed blue hair and heavy eyeliner holding up his hand in a ‘rock and roll’ symbol. His fingers covered in rings.  
  
He was sure his eyes lingered for too long on that one.  
  
There was no mistaking that black hair and grey eyes. Not that it mattered. He wasn’t here for Akira. 

“So, what can I do for you, Detective?” Maya leaned back in her seat, still smiling. “Tatsuya send you here to brush up on Saito?” 

Goro looked at her, she seemed awfully relaxed. But that was a good starting point.  
  
“Yes,” he nodded, “I know you’ve already given a statement, but could please recount to me your relationship with Saito and his last days at work before his disappearance?”  
  
Maya rubbed the bottom of her chain with the tips of her fingers. “Saito was one of our best article writers. I hired him on once I took over the Chief Editor position here. He was really good at keeping up with what was all the craze. To be honest, the magazine was in a bit of a decline when I took over. I mean, kids don’t really read print any more. We switched over to a primary digital publication, changed up a lot of the staff- Saito was one of those changes. He did great work…”  
  
Goro noticed her sentence trailed off, “But? Something was different before he went missing?”  
  
“Oh, long before that. The past year he’d been really wound up. I had given time off, encouraged him to take it easy, we talked regularly. Until two months out from his death. He started fighting with the staff, not- violently, just little disagreements.”  
  
“Were they really little if you felt them important enough to recall?”  
  
“Ah, well-!” Maya’s eyes went wide for a moment before she laughed, “Okay. But I still think they weren’t extreme. Just, workplace complaints. He said he wasn’t getting his ‘dues’, accused a few others of stealing his spot light. I can’t explain it, he became- jealous. During our last talk, he even told me I didn’t deserve this position.”  
  
Maya shook his head, “Still, despite all that, he was a good guy. I remember when he used to join me in encouraging everyone. We’d give positivity and encouragement speeches during staff meetings. He always came in with a smile on his face.”  
  
“Was he having problems at home? Perhaps his personal life took a turn for the worse that caused his change?”  
  
“Hmmmn, personally, I’m ashamed to say I don’t know much. He never spoke of a significant other. And his parents had already passed away…” Goro watched her shift in her seat. “Though I don’t think he was sleeping much. He came in very tired the last few times, not to mention his last article was… Questionable.”  
  
“Do you have a copy of that article?”  
  
“Of course! I think the Konan police already have one but I can print you another.”  
  
“And what about his office. Has it been cleaned out?”  
  
“We were asked not to. So, it hasn’t been touched in we-“ Maya was cut off by a knock on the door. A staffer stuck their head inside slightly frowning.  
  
“ ‘Cuse me, Amano-san… But the model for today’s shoot called. She can’t make it.”  
  
“Again?” Maya pressed her lips together, “Okay did you call the agency for a backup yet?”  
  
The staffer nodded, but didn’t look any happier, “Yes, but, I mean she bailed last minute. The team is already here and the agency said it could be up to three hours before someone can be up here. I don’t think the photographer is going to wait that long.” 

“Okay, no worries. Tell him I’ll have a model for him within thirty minutes,” Maya smiled at her employee. As soon as the door was started digging through her jacket pockets. She mumbling to herself about her cellphone.  
  
Goro’s eyes drifted over her desk and spotted a phone with a dark pink and purple case with a moon charm hanging on it, “Is this it?”  
  
“Ah-ha!” Maya grabbed it and started sending a text. Next she made a phone call. Goro sat listening to the conversation picking up bits of Maya’s rapid-fire questions. Asking for a homeroom teacher, followed by the excusal of one ‘Takamaki’ for an emergency. And closing with round of thankyous for the person on the other end of the phone. She tucked it back into her jacket pocket and then turned to back to the detective.  
  
“Let’s see, where were we…”  
  
“You were going to print me a file, and let me into Saito’s office.”  
  
“Right!” Maya got up in a hurry. “Let me get you inside there first, I’ve got to get down there and keep my photographer happy.”  
  
“Do you have problems like this often?”  
  
“Oh there’s always something. But I can’t let it get to me. If I start snapping at everyone, this place would fall apart. The best way to run anything is to stay positive! There’s always a solution, you just have to work it out!” 

Maya let Goro into Saito’s office before heading off to deal with her magazine’s problems.  
  
Goro set down his suite case next to the door and began looking around. The office was much more plain that Maya’s. There were next to no personal items, an old black and white photo of an elderly couple, most likely his parents; a potted plant in the corner that had died; a few framed certificates for articles and writing works hung up on the walls along with his school credentials. 

Not much to go on.  
  
Goro took a seat at his desk and noted there was a sticky note on the computer. It looked like the tech team had unlocked the password so it could be searched through. Considering that it was still here, there must not have been anything worth wile on it. Still he booted it up and began going through the files.

 

 

It wasn’t until he was done that he was certain he’d wasted hours of his life on that computer. There were old articles, emails, personal notes… But nothing incriminating that would lead to who attacked Saito. Nothing that looked suspicious or like a cult was involved…  
  
“A cult…” He glanced over at his suitcase. Right, he had to ask Maya about the New World Order.  
  
He started to lean forward to get up from his seat and then stopped. He didn’t look through the desk. Had he not said that this morning? There was much to be gained from snooping through cabinets and drawers. Goro started opening the desk drawers and rifling around through them. There were papers, memos, note books.  
  
Nothing.  
  
He sighed and closed the drawer.  
  
Tatsuya was sending him on a goose chase. He should back track Saito’s steps. Figure out what his daily routine was. Find out who knew him who he associated it. He stood to get up and looked down at the desk. 

No personal items other than those of his parents.  
  
He reached out and picked up the photo, turning it over and opening the back. Inside the frame was a laminated business card. He picked it up and turned it over in his hands. The light made it shimmer, a rainbow stripe sliding over it. Under the lamination there was a golden butterfly image. 

“No words.”  
  
He tucked the card in his pocket and then looked around the room. Was there more behind the other frames. He walked around the room, picking up each framed accolade. Every time he found nothing he sighed. Just like the computer, it was a waste. At least he found one thing. As he was putting the last frame up on the wall the door opened.

  
“Sorry, Akechi-san! I was held up looking up some info for an upcoming interview after that photographer situation!” Maya stopped in the door, raising her eyebrows. “Um, I know I already asked this earlier, but- Can I help you?”  
  
“Oh, no- I just… Had to check for-” Goro shook his head and hung the frame back up. He approached Maya who handed him a printed out copy of Saito’s last article. He didn’t bother to explain why he was taking all the frames down. “Thank you, Amano-san. For this and letting me into the office. It’s been a big help.”  
  
“No worries! Is there anything else I can do for you today?”  
  
Goro looked back over the room, “Did Saito have anything else personal in here?”  
  
“Hmmn, just his plant,” Maya stared at the dead plant in the corner. “I tried to keep it alive! Honest! Ulala says I over watered it.”  
  
“I see, I just have one other question for you, Amano-san,” Goro paused letting her invite him to ask away. “Do you know anything about a group called the New World Order?”  
  
For the first time since he met her Maya stopped smiling. It was only for a moment, as the woman reached up and rubbed the upper part of her chest. As soon as she was done she smiled again.  
  
“I haven’t heard that term in a while. What a strange thing to ask,” she shrugged still smiling, “I know a few things. Nothing important though.”  
  
“Would you care to share?”  
  
Surprisingly, Maya shook her head, “Sorry, I really shouldn’t.” The black haired woman’s eyes glinted with a bit of mischief, “Of course, maybe I’d be willing to tell you everything, if you’d be willing to sit down and conduct an interview.”  
  
“A-an interview?”  
  
“You’re, and I quote, ‘genius, prodigy, detective prince’ Akechi, Goro. Tokyo Special Investigations rising star. Solved over a dozen high profile cases by the age of nineteen. You’re rather popular with teenagers and a hot topic among adults in the field.” She winked childishly at him, “I did tell you I was looking up info for an interview right.”  
  
“I see… you are the Chief Editor of a teenager aimed magazine. I should have guessed it would have come up.”  
  
“What do you say? Trade you my story for yours.”  
  
Goro kept his mouth shut as he considered it. Really the New World Order information was for him. It didn’t have to do with this investigation. He was just curious. “I’ll, have to think on it.”  
  
“Alright then, take your time…” Maya turned away from him, “I’m locking the door behind me. It will shut once you’re done, alright?”  
  
That was fine. He was mostly done in here anyway. Goro opened his suit case and started to put the file inside. He stopped just before letting go, catching a name among the text. He pulled the pages back up and read them.

  
  
_“-Those seeking help are welcomed to try out Hiiragi Therapy in the Seaside Strip Mall. The doctors there are second to none. Their methods of healing and guidance are centered around the younger generation, none more talented than Jinnosuke Sawada-“_

Goro skimmed the rest of the article. It was about different methods of treatment for mental health that Sawda specialized in. He grabbed his suit case and walked out into the hallway.  
  
Outside Maya was speaking to a teenage girl. She had long blond hair, done up in two pigtails on the sides of her head and blue eyes. She stood out for miles. He half wondered if that look was natural. Must be mixed. 

She had on a white hoodie with a big ‘S’ in the lower corner and blue and red stripes running along the bottom. It came down over her black school skirt with one thick white stripe running down the side, and she wore her black school uniform blazer over the top that had the same white stripe on the collar and arms.  
  
“Excuse me, Amano-san,” Goro approached her, still holding the papers. “I do have another matter for you.”

  
“Oh did you decide to give the interview?”  
  
“No,” he said flatly, “This article. This was the last thing Saito wrote for you?”  
  
“Yes,” Maya stood with her hands on her hips, “Teenagers dealing with emotional and mental problems is an increasing issue. We ran an entire issue centered around focusing on kids getting help and reaching out to places that could assist them.”  
  
“I read that issue,” the blond girl spoke up with a smile. “It was great. There was plenty of useful stuff in there, everyone at school was actually really impressed.”  
  
“And, you didn’t run it because?”  
  
Maya made a slight noise, like she was stifling a sigh, “I- didn’t quite agree with its direction. There was a big push towards a specific doctor. That’s not what I wanted. Not every treatment is right for everyone. I don’t mind highlighting doctors, but I felt they should have equal coverage.”  
  
“I see, and Dr. Sawada was interviewed for this piece. How did he feel about it not being run?”  
  
“You’ll have to ask him about that.”  
  
Goro nodded, lowering the papers, “Thank you, Amano-san.” He bowed his head.  
  
“No need to thank me, I hope you find out what happen- Oh! Oh my gosh! Where are my manors! Akechi-kun! This is Takamaki, Ann. She’s a local senior at Seven Sisters Highschool, and one of our regular models. Ann, this is Akechi, Goro! He’s a detective working with Takuya!”  
  
“A, detective!” Ann looked him over, she didn’t seem to recognize him. He wasn’t sure if he was thankful or slightly offended his fame didn’t extend to the teenagers here. “You’re so young! You can’t be that much older than me!”  
  
“I’m nineteen.”  
  
“Unbelievable! And you’re working with Suou-san?” She looked him over again. Goro could feel she was curious about something. Maybe she did recognize him.  
  
“Well then, I have to be going. I have another stop to make.” Goro bowed his head to her and turned to leave.  
  
He got as far as the elevator before he heard Ann’s voice calling to him.  
  
“Akechi-san! Wait!” She came running stopped next to him. “Are you- are you-“  
  
“I’m not available,” he smiled at her, his usual bright and forgiving grin he offered all his fans. “I’m only committed to my work you see.”  
  
“Huh? What? No!” Ann shook her head, whipping her pigtails around, offended. But not as offended as Goro was by her exaggerated rejection. “I came to ask you about Dr. Sawada! Are you going to go question him?”  
  
“That’s, really not something I can disclose,” He started to reach for the elevator button, but stopped. “Why?”  
  
“He’s an asshole.” Ann’s expression scrunched with anger. He was surprised to hear her use such language. “Maya won’t say anything… I guess its unprofessional. But he’s horrible. That’s why she didn’t run the article.” Ann crossed her arms. “Running it would send kids to him, and they’d come out worse.”  
  
“You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”  
  
Ann’s expression softened, giving way to concern. “My friend goes to him...” she reached up and twisted a finger around the ends of one of her tails, “I know he’s not, in the best of health. But since they forced him to go to Sawada, he’s getting worse. I don’t know what he’s doing- but it’s not making him better.”  
  
Goro shook his head, “So your experience is just a personal feeling?” He pressed the elevator button. He stopped for nothing it seemed. “Sorry, but unless you have something tangible, it sounds to me like you just dislike this doctor. Mental health issues are hard for people without them to understand and are a long treatment process for professionals and patients. What might seem ‘worse’ to you could just be a bump in the road.”  
  
Goro turned from her as the elevator doors opened. He didn’t have time to deal with kid’s crazy theories. As much as he didn’t like the idea of therapist and medication for dealing with ‘being crazy’, he wasn’t going to take gossip as a lead. The man was still a doctor. He had a respected position; there was no need to take the word of a child on his credentials. 

As the doors closed Ann put her hands in the way, causing the sensor to open them back up. She looked angry again, more so than last time. For a moment Goro considered she might spit fire at him from the ferocity of her stare. 

“If he’s such a good god damn doctor, then why didn’t Maya run the article! It’s HER nephew he’s making sick. Tatsuya-san’s son!” She leaned into the elevator. “If you’re really going to look into him, you should know the truth. There’s nothing good about that man. Don’t dismiss me!” 

Goro took a step back as she leaned in. So, _this_ is why that expression gets tossed around about ‘hell hath no wrath’. Ann stood in the elevator door, holding it open. He could swear she was smoldering form how angry she’d become in just those few seconds.  
  
He found himself nodding, he wasn’t sure why. But somehow knew that if he didn’t this girl would whip his butt in a tantrum of rage. 

Ann let go of the elevator doors and walked away.  
  
As they closed Goro straightened straighten back up. 

So Sawada is making Akira sick? And the last victim raved about him.

 

Guess he had to look into Akira’s situation after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its so hard to not just write people in the outfits they were wearing 20 years ago. Maya won't shop unless Ulala takes her so I probably could have gotten away with it...


	7. Therapy for the Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm too lazy to update Reiko and Maki woops.
> 
>  
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

He’d had some pretty sad lunches before; this one probably ranked in his top five.

Bread and apple slices from a vending machine, and a bottle of water.

At some point in time in his life he’d have to learn to eat properly, but for now he’d survive on youthful vigor and stubbornness.

Goro was just finishing off his water when he arrived at the Seaside Strip Mall. A stretch of road dotted with shops for clothing, tourist traps, eateries and a clear view of the beach. A strange place to put a therapist office, but maybe they thought the beachside view was helpful?  
  
Even he was looking at the coastline as he walked along the streets. He spotted a few teenagers here and there arriving to meet friends to shop or head down to the beach. It was later in the afternoon now, so it made since the high schoolers were out.

“I wonder if Suou is going to show u-” he stopped himself, “No I’m here for the case. Akira be damned.”

He arrived at Hiiragi Therapy and half regretted getting something to eat. The outside of the building seemed normal enough, but inside the decorations made him cringe. The decorations seemed outdated. The walls were painted with a pattern of large plant leaves, there were two fountains with colored lights build into the walls on either side of the lobby. The couches centered around the table looked more like garden benches that had had cushions added. The entire lobby gave off a feal of a fake out door garden.

He audibly sighed and closed his eyes.  
  
“Let’s just get this over with.”  
  
He approached the secretaries desk where two women were talking. The secretary behind the desk was young, but the standing woman was much older. Long light brown hair with plenty of grey streaks, a light purple jacket and pants that shouldn’t have been dug up from decades ago. Not to mention the crescent moon earrings and large glasses.  
  
“Excuse me, ladies?” The two were already watching him since he came in the door, but he still begged for interruption. “My name is Akechi, Goro. I’m a detective with Tokyo Special Investigations. I’d like to know, is a Jinnosuuke Sawada in today?”  
  
“You wish to see Dr. Sawada?” The outdated woman spoke up, her tone a little annoyed. “You detectives keep showing up here and interrupting our sessions. I understand you must conduct an investigation, but these unannounced visits have to stop. Our patients come first.”

“I’m terribly sorry, Miss-”  
  
“Reiko. Hiiragi Therapy’s primary doctor. Sawada works under me.”  
  
“I see, I’m very sorry, Reiko-san. It was not my intention to disrupt Dr. Sawada’s work. I can make an appointment and return at a later date if he’s booked for today.”

‘So, this isn’t the first time Sawada’s been questions. And from Reiko’s tone it sounds like this is a common occurrence,’ Goro noted the information for later.

“When would you like an appointment?” the secretary spoke up.  
  
“What’s the earliest time I can see him tomorrow?”

“I can see him right now.” Goro turned around, and was greeted to the presence of a man in his late twenties in a deep dark blue suit. His black hair was neatly combed back with thick side burns on the sides of his face. He had one hand in his pocket and the other raised to look at the watch on his wrist. “I have about thirty minutes before my next appointment arrives.”  
  
Goro stood still, taking the man in. He wasn’t expecting someone so normal after the lobby and Reiko.

“Jinnosuke,” Reiko shrugged, “They’re just going to keep coming in here and interrupting us unless you put your foot down.”  
  
“It will be fine, Reiko-san. Besides, I always have time for a celebrity,” he smiled Goro’s direction. But the detective didn’t feel any sort of comfort or friendliness from it. Nothing about him seemed inviting the longer he looked at him. As outdated as she was, Reiko at least had a soft look to her.

The man beckoned him to follow him across the lobby to his office. Beyond the door it was thankfully normal and decorated with a more contemporary look. He had large shelves against walls lined with books from top to bottom on psychology, mental health studies, research journals, and more. The spaces between the shelving that exposed the walls had few decorations on them; his framed certificate for practice, generic photos of open country sides and panoramic nature images.

“Take a seat, detective. What can I do for you today?”  
  
“I wanted to ask you about the article that Saito, Kyo had done on your work for _Coolest Magazine_ ,” Goro took a seat, setting his suitcase down next to him. “How did you feel about it, when you learned it wasn’t going to be run?”  
  
“Ah, that article. Such a shame,” Jinnosuke folded his hands together and placed them on his desk. “I was a bit upset, but what could I do? Amano-san didn’t want to run it. It’s her call. Even if I don’t agree with her taste. But if you’re thinking I was upset with Kyo over it, you’re wrong. He’s just a reporter. I would never harm him over it.”  
  
“What about during your interview process, did you notice anything strange about him? Did his line of questioning seem out of place?”  
  
“No, nothing,” Jinnosuke smiled and shook his head. Goro noted the man had continued to smile at him. But it was empty. It was a generic blank look he knew because he used it. A smile to disarm and dismiss people.

It was annoying.

“Have you ever had a disagreement with Amano-san? Any sort of arguments between the two of you? A reason for her to withhold the article?”

“No, I’ve only spoken to her a few times about town,” he shook his head, his eyebrows slightly knit together. Still not dropping the polite façade. “She’s a lovely lady, a little bit peppy, but I have no problems with her or her with me.”  
  
“Really?” Goro tilted his head, “I heard from a reliable source she wasn’t fond of you. That she doesn’t agree with the treatments you’re prescribing for her nephew, Akira Suou.”

Now Jinnosuke stopped smiling. His face seemed to relax, but that resting expression was one of distaste. Finally, he was getting somewhere.

“Amano is a smart woman. But she knows nothing about medicine or mental health. Her nephew is ill. Akira needs extreme treatment because his case is extreme. I help many people, detective, from all walks of life. Everyone needs something different. But problem cases need extreme measures.”

“So, you think Akira’s a problem.”

“I _know_ Akira is a problem,” the doctor stopped, for a moment his eyes narrowing, “And you should too. Unless- You’ve not spoken to Chief Shimazu yet have you?” He straightened up in his seat; a smile returning to his face, but this time there was an air of smugness to it.

“I see, they tossed you out here on your own. That’s unfortunate, detective,” the man raised his hand and waved it about. “Everything I have to say about Saito or anything else regarding these murders can be found in previous statements I’ve given. Now if you’ll kindly excuse yourse-”

“I’m not done,” Goro interrupted him.

“But I am,” the doctor continued to smile, “And anything else you have to ask me about Akira Suou or my patients would break my confidentially. If you want more information, you need a warrant. Which Shimazu-san is not going to give you. I suggest, however, you speak to him and learn what kind of people the Suous and their friends are. Now then, I have an appointment soon. Please, be on your way.”

Goro didn’t hide his displeasure from the man. He rose to his feet, frowning, but grabbed his case and turned to leave. He got nowhere with that. But he’d return. He stopped just before Jinnosuke’s door, the book shelf just next to the exit caught his eye.

A red book with a butterfly on the spine. It looked gold? Maybe it was yellow? No words.

“Something else, detective?”

“No,” Goro turned back to him, this time it was his turn of offer an empty doe-eyed smile, “But I’ll be back.” He left, exiting back into the lobby.

Oh, he’d be back for sure. There was something to be uncovered there.

He was going to leave the therapy office immediately and head back to the police station. He had questions, for Tatsuya and the Chief. And there was the matter of admitting the strange butterfly card into evidence. Yet luck was not on his side.

Out in the lobby was Akira, of all people. The population of Sumaru City was at least one million indviduals.

But it was Akira of ALL PEOPLE.

At least his back was too him. He was standing on the other end of the lobby talking to a woman with short brown hair and eyes. She kind of reminded Goro of Reiko, with her outdated look. A long black and white colored coat and white go-go boots and a beauty mark just under her lips to the side. She looked young, but there were a few wrinkles showing around the edges of her eyes and lips.

She was facing Goro, and for a moment her eyes fell on him watching Akira.

He quickly turned his head and started for the door. He could get out before the other boy noticed him that would be no problem. Except the cat also caught him.

Even though he wasn’t looking at them Goro heard Morgana let out a loud and grating growl. Loud enough to make Akira shift his bag to check on the animal, and thus turn his head to see him trying to flee.

“Akechi-kun?”

He stopped walking and slowly turned to face him. The entire width of the lobby was between them.

“It is you,” Akira kept his hand in the bag trying to sooth his cat. “Hmn, so that explains why Morgana has been fidgeting since we got in.”

“Ah, you know him?” The woman spoke up, “I thought that troubled glance was just my imagination.”

Goro felt his heart skip a beat at her words. Throw him under the bus harder, lady. What did he ever do to you?

“You were going to leave without saying hello?” Akira’s expression faltered, like he’d been swiftly smacked with something.

“I- have a lot of work to do. I just didn’t want to interrupt you two, or hold myself up.”

“Hmn.” The woman stuck her hands in her pockets. Goro knew she didn’t believe him.

“You really do always work, huh?” Akira’s grey eyes were back on him. What was he looking for? He didn’t look like he was trying to see through him like the first time. And this expression wasn’t mocking him like earlier. But the gaze still made him uncomfortable. He wanted to move, to look away, to flat out run. The only thing that saved him was Jinnosuke coming out of his office and calling to Akira and the woman.

“Dr. Sonomura,” his tone was anything but friendly, “I see you’re holding up my patient. _Again._ ”

“You were busy, Dr. Sawada,” She responded without even looking at him. In fact she closed her eyes and looked away in spite. “Since Akira was waiting, we just had a little a cha-”

“I should to report you, you know for the number of times you do this.”

“Report me for what?” the woman reached out and put her hands on Akira’s shoulders, this time turning to stare down the other man. “Speaking to the son of my friends? I’m still quite close to the Suous. It’s not strange to speak to your friend’s children. If you had friends, you’d know that.”

Akira’s shoulders shook as he unconvincingly held back a laugh.

“Akira,” The woman leaned over to get his attention and smile, “Tell your folks I said ‘Hi’.”

“Sure thing, Maki-san.” He pulled away from her and walked across the lobby toward Sawada, stopping briefly to turn toward Goro. “Wait for me.” He then entered the office, taking the time to set down his bag with Morgana inside it outside the door.

Wait for him? Like hell he would.

As soon as the door was shut Goro moved. But not towards the door, he hurried to catch up to Dr. Sonomura before she retreated into her office.

“Excuse me, Sonomura-san?” She turned to him, “Do you have a minute?”  
  
She nodded and opened her door to him. She had a telling smile on her face.

Her office was simple. There was one wall with a small bookshelf on it, lots of pictures. She had a couch and a chair in the middle of the room with her desk to the side. In the corner, there was a display shelf filled with pictures of various people. Friends? Family? The biggest one at the top was of a girl with long brown hair with a red bow and the same beauty mark under her lips. Must be Sonomura. She was standing next to an older woman with similar features. Around Sonomura’s neck there was what looked like a necklace? A locket? He couldn’t tell at a glance, circular had a latch on it for sure, a rainbow pattern circling around the top.  
  
As he ran his eyes down, the item around her neck was in several of her pictures. It looked like she had it for years. Where was it now?  
  
Goro took a seat on the couch while Maki sat across from him in the chair with her ankles folded.  
  
“So, Detective Akechi, what can I do for you?”  
  
“Ah, you already know my name, well that saves me an introduction.”  
  
“I already know a lot about you,” Goro nodded. That made sense. Jinnosuke also recognized him, as did Maya. “Akira told me all about your meting and that you were working with Tatsuya-san.”

Oh. Of course.

“Ah, yes, I’m helping Detective Suou with the recent string of murders, I came to interview Dr. Sawada because of his connections to the latest victim Saito, Kyo but, it would seem he’s not in a talkative mood.”

“Just Saito?” Maki folded her arms, “He saw Yoshishita a few times to help her with her gambling addiction.”

Yoshishita? The second victim was under his care? Was that in her file? Goro blinked for a second. No, it couldn’t have been, he memorized those files front and back. If Sawda had been listed as a person on interest he’d have known from the start. He cleared his throat.

“I wanted to bring her up, but we never got that far. He- rather insistently told me to come back with a warrant.”

“You won’t get one,” she shook her head. “Tatsuya-san has been trying for a while. I wish he could. Maybe if he was formally under investigation Reiko would dismiss him from here.”

“You, are rather forth coming with information.”

“I just want to help…” the woman’s lips twisted up into a bright smile, “Akechi-kun, do you mind? I presume you became a detective to help others?”

“Well, that is part of the job. But really, I became a detective in pursuit of the truth. So much of the world lies hidden in corruption. I’m only interested in exposing it.”

She chuckled a bit, “Dealing with mental health is like that. It’s helping people deal with their true selves. It’s the only way to get better. If you try to force it away or ignore it, it gets worse. Becomes all consuming, even life threatening… Admittedly, not all that lies solely on the fault of the individual, for some the problems arise beyond their control. But still getting help requires they act. And I want to help them. I want to help people better grasp their true selves and live their life.”

“But Jinnosuke Sawada is not here for that purpose. The people in his care are not there for him to help them, but for them to help him.”

“I see, so, you don’t think he’s doing a good job.”

“Hardly.”

“And that comes from your personal observations? Or do you have proof.”

“It comes from observations of all the people in his care. But if you want tangible proof, look no further than Akira,” Maki took a deep breath.

“You,” Goro held up his hand, “don’t have to tell me anything that will get you in trouble. I know your bound by-”

“By court order, Akira is no longer my patient. Everything I’m telling you is just what a friend of the family knows.”

The woman leaned forward and started talking. “The Suous first brought Akira to me when he was in middle school. He was acting strange, less willing to participate in anything, hesitant, nervous, and I admit it was a bit of an uphill battle to properly diagnose him. Mostly because Akira didn’t trust me. He didn’t trust most adults. That’s understandable, considering his circumstances. I had to go off of what his parents and teachers told me… It took me six months to finally get to the root of his problem.”

“I, actually also have a friend of his to thank for that. Akira came in one day and was talking to me about how the world was shadows. A bunch of darkness that he felt was dissolving around him. He didn’t even consider himself anything more than that. A shadow slowly dissolving into nothingness. But a boy in his class Yuusuke had painted a picture that he said was like nothing he’d ever seen. It stood out so strongly to him that his exact words were ‘It must be real. Yuusuke lives in the real world and he doesn’t.’”

Maki reached up and ran one hand through her hair.

“I felt bad. I guess looking back I should have guessed he was dissociating. I pegged it on depression and anxiety but he medication alone wasn’t going to help. So I encouraged him to make friends with Yuusuke. I encouraged him to try to find ‘things’ that he felt were part of this ‘real world’ and connect them to his life. We did that for years. Akira would come in and tell me about people he watched and met and friends he made, sometimes he brought in items… Sometimes I had to tell his father he brought in items that I was pretty sure he stole. But we made it work.”

“By the time he was high school, Akira was- I don’t want to say cured, but grounded. He felt he had a place and friends and like life was going somewhere.”

“And now he’s worse, under Jinnosuke’s care?” Maki didn’t answer Goro, so he asked her another question. “You said he was taken away from you by court order?”

“…I- can’t really talk about the case,” Maki looked down at the floor for a second and then up at Goro. “It’s- It was the worse thing that could have happened. And it completely unraveled him. I can’t blame him, if- Even a health person starts to go under mental changes under that kind of stress.”

“Okay, you can’t tell me about the incident, but what about the changes?”

“For starters, he’s right back to feeling like he’s not part of the world. Like he’s just being pushed about and everything around him isn’t really there. He doesn’t talk as much. He’s a bit resentful towards Tatsuya… I, can’t decide who’s right there. Tatsuya knows the legal system better than I do. He and Katsuya, his older brother, argued Akira’s mental health was best defense they had. I wasn’t really thrilled. God knows Akira couldn’t handle that label… But at the same time who wants to risk their kids going to jail? He was never quite the same. And Jinnosuke insist upon treating him for ‘a violent mental health disorder’. He’s not violent.”  
  
Maki sighed and her shoulders slumped little bit, “He’s not interested in helping him. He’s interested in ‘reforming’ a ‘violent individual’. He’d rather keep giving him prescriptions rather than listen to him.”  
  
“That’s why Akira comes and talks to you?” Goro tapped his chin. Dr. Sonomura had left him with a dozen questions. What was the trail about? If Akira wasn’t violent according to her then what had happened? What was the evidence? But he had to keep his mind focused. Akira was a different person according to her. That matched up with what Ann had told him. And Amano had said Saito suddenly changed as well.

Was this change in behavior three for three?

“You say he also treated Yoshishita? Do you think she changed as well?”  
  
Maki shook her head, “I can’t answer. I never knew her before he started coming here. And I didn’t see her that often.”  
  
“Alright then,” Goro grabbed his suit case, “Thank you for your input doctor. It’s been most helpful.”  
  
“Thank you for coming by…” Maki smiled at him sweetly, “You can wait out in the lobby for Akira if you like.”  
  
“Oh, no I- I have to get back to the station. There’s a lot I must go over.”

“Oh,” she leaned to one side in her chair watching him, “Well, do be sure to spend some time with him. Won’t you?”

Goro only nodded to her. He couldn’t muster up the desire for verbal response. He left her office and the building all together.  He had to get back to the station he had questions. Lots of them for Tatsuya.


	8. Lying to the Reach the Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

As Goro entered the Konan police department his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and sighed, of course Akira was texting him.

 **Suou:** You didn’t wait.  
  
**Akechi:** I’m sorry. I have work to do. I had to report back to the police department.

He started to put his phone away when it buzzed again.

 **Suou:** When will you be done working?

Goro sighed and tried to think of an answer. One that would stop Akira from asking him to spend time with him.

 **Akechi:** Midnight.

 **Suou:** Then tomorrow?

 **Akechi:** Midnight.

He watched a line of dots form and repeat as Akira was typing an answer.

 **Suou:** When do you eat dinner?

 **Akechi:** When I’m done working.

 **Suou:** How about eight?

“What part of when I’m done working did you not understand?” he glared at the screen in his hands. As if Akira could hear him.

 **Suou:** I know the best sushi place in the city. If you like sushi.

He was never going to go away, was he?

 **Akechi:** I do like sushi. But not tonight.

 **Suou:** Tomorrow then. I’ll meet you at the station at 7:30.

 **Akechi:** Okay.

 **Suou:** See you then, Akechi-kun. 

Goro put his phone away cursing to himself. This was a mistake. But maybe if he just spent a little time with him he’d go away. If nothing else this damn city seemed determined to push them together. The boy was involved with everything and everyone he went to see today.

He made his way up to Tatsuya’s office and entered to find the older detective present. He was sitting at his computer typing up a report when Goro entered.

“Ah, Akechi. Back from your rounds,” he turned away from his computer and motioned to the chair. “Have a seat, tell me what you found out.”  
  
Akechi did as asked, sitting down and recounting the events of the day. Going over how he started on the old occult files, which lead him to visiting Kismet, and then to Hiiragi Therapy…  
  
“Actually, I feel like I came away with more questions than answers,” Goro held his chin between his finger and his thumb. “Some of those questions, I’d like to run by you.”  
  
Goro leaned forward, folding his hands together over his knees, “I’d like to ask you about the New World Order incident.”  
  
“Would you?” Tatsuya shook his head, “Sorry, but I’m not going to answer you.”  
  
“Why not?” Goro watched his face, “You asked me to investigate the occult occurrences in this city in hopes to find a connection to the case-”

“Do you have a connection between the New World Order and what’s going on?”  
  
“No,” Goro pressed his lips together for a moment, “But you were involved in that. And the officer listed as the lead shares your last name. And Sudou is listed as a person of interest.”

“All of those things are true,” Goro watched as Tatsuya pulled out his lighter again. His thumb ran over the top before he flicked the lid open. He had that lighter, but no cigarettes? “But what does it matter for this case?”  
  
“I suppose nothing, just trying to gain a bit of background knowledge.”  
  
Tatsuya chuckled at his answer, “If you went to Hiiragi I can guess your next answer is about Akira and Dr. Sawada?” Goro nodded. “You’re out of luck. Everyone involved in that case is under a gag order, unless you can find reason to get them to talk, nothing is going to be said.”  
  
“Can I ask you this at least? Is Akira guilty?”  
  
“No,” Tatsuya stopped flicking the lid of his lighter. “He’s a good kid. Too good of a kid. Anything else?”  
  
Of course there was more, lots more, “I don’t understand, you asked me to complete a task, and yet you want to withhold information form me. Why?”  
  
Tatsuya folded his hands and leaned forward so his elbows could rest on the desk, “It’s a matter of trust, Akechi. I want to know if I can trust you to do this job. There’s plenty of information I could just give you, but what’s the point if you’re going to possibly turn on me?”  
  
“Turn on you?”  
  
Tatsuya unfolded his hands and looked at his computer screen to check the time. “Chief Shimazu wants to speak with you. He told me to send you up the moment you got in. He’s going to ask you about what I’ve put you to work on. As far as he knows, you’re investigating for connections between the victims. Doing in depth research into their lives and habits to see if they have a common thread or all met the killer at some point. Nothing about cults or superstitious beliefs.”  
  
“That’s all, but aren’t you already-”  
  
“Fresh eyes, Akechi.”  
  
“…Alright.” He got to his feet and hesitated, “Oh, first I need to go admit this into evidence on the Saito investigation.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the butterfly card. Tatsuya’s face lit up at the sight of it. “I recovered it form Saito’s office. Inside the picture frame of his parents. I’ll take that down fir-”  
  
“No,” Tatsuya shook his head. “You keep it. Don’t tell anyone else about it. And if you find another, let me know.”  
  
“But,” Goro shook his head in confusion. He wants him to hide evidence? This was a test of trust? Did Tatsuya plant this? No; from the way he reacted when he saw it there may be some familiarity, but he’d clearly never seen _this_ card before. “Alright. I’ll keep you posted.” He tucked it back in his pocket before grabbing his case and leaving for the chief’s office.

 

 

The chief was a man Goro’s mind could only classify as ‘weasel faced’. His face was long, narrow, when he spoke it appeared his top row of teeth came too far forward. The glasses didn’t help his image. They just highlighted his narrow eyes.

He didn’t invite him to sit, like everyone else had that day, but he supposed he expected that.  
  
“So, you’re the genius detective from Tokyo? Hmn? Well I can’t say I’m that impressed. Niijima-san must think it’s funny to send me her interns.”  
  
Goro offered the chief a cheerful laugh, “Shimazu-san that’s a new one. I’ll be sure to share that with Sae-san when I return to Tokyo.” Actually, he’d heard that before. At least a dozen times. It was never funny. “I look forward to doing my best in assisting with this case. Detective Suou has already put me to work.”  
  
“So I heard,” Shimazu looked him over, “Well, what have you found so far. No, what has Tatsuya _asked_ you to find?”

“He’s just asked me to review the cases with fresh eyes for the time being. Asking me to retrace the victims’ steps, the last few days of their lives, try to find a common link between them.” Goro watched as the man tapped his fingers on his desk. “So far all I’ve found is that Saito-san interviewed a Dr. Jinnosuke Sawada, and the same man was treating Yoshishita for a gambling addiction.”  
  
“Sawada, yes, his name came up, but that lead was ultimately dropped.”  
  
“That might be so, but I’d like to look into a bit further. I’ll more than likely need a warrant to-”  
  
“Did Suou point you in his direction?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Hmph. There will be no warrant. Sawada was already investigated. Nothing was found. The only reason Suou pointed you at him is a personal agenda.”  
  
“As I said before, he didn’t direct me there. I came to the conclusion on my own.” Goro frowned. “Why do you think he’s leading _my_ investigation into this case?”  
  
“Let me get straight to the point, Akechi. Detective Suou is a problem for this department. He’s letting his personal judgement and feelings cloud his decisions. Frankly, I want him removed from this case.”  
  
“So then why don’t you?”  
  
“… The last time I removed him his team became uncooperative. There were plenty in the office that spoke out against me. For you see as poor an officer as he is, Suou has made his peers into his safety net.” He pointed at Goro, “But that’s where you come in. You’re free to expose what he’s doing. Misusing time and resources with public backlash. I would love to fire him. Dismiss him form this place for good like his father years ago. But he’s smarter than his father. For every infraction I’ve brought up in the past he takes it before the board and has nearly every staffer turn on me. They’re unwilling to hear me out any more on how much of a problem he is.”  
  
“I see. I understand the bureaucracy of a system can at times get in the way of what we know to be right… So, you want me to investigate Detective Suou.”  
  
“His methods, his direction… Bring me anything I can take before the board. Continue to let him think you are helping him. And once he’s gone, I promise you, I’ll put in a good word for you to your superiors.”  
  
“Of course, thank you Shimazu-san. I won’t let you down.”  
  
Goro left the office and sneered. He was here for a murderer, not to get a man fired. If Tatsuya was really doing wrong, it would come out in the investigation. He pulled out his cellphone and looked at the time. It was close to eight now. But he told Akira he’d see him tomorrow. That meant he had to get his own dinner tonight.

He was pretty sure there was a vending machine down in the front lobby of the station.

 

 

Tatsuya arrived home earlier than usual. At least what had become ‘usual’ over the past few months. With the recent murders the city was on edge. Coming home at a decent time to have dinner with his family wasn’t always an option. He spent his days and nights chasing down leads, interviewing witnesses or individuals the victims knew, going over every bit of information his team brought back each day, and listening to Shimazu rant and rave about his failures. 

Even though in all honesty, this case was the first one in a while he’d been in charge of that had been turning up nothing but dead ends. 

As he pulled into the garage he noted his son’s bike chained up on the side of the house. He could only presume Akira had come home at a decent hour. He and Jun more than likely already had dinner. The two ate without him a lot lately. 

It wasn’t a fact he was proud of. 

He closed the garage and left his helmet on his bike before entering into the house.  
  
“I’m home,” he could hear the TV running in the front room, it sounded like a talk show was on. As he stepped up into the room he saw Jun sitting on the couch, his legs tucked up under him and a cup of tea in his hands. 

“Welcome back, I put your plate in the fridge.”  
  
Tatsuya approached the couch and took a seat, he wasn’t really hungry. “I don’t suppose there’s any more tea left…”  
  
“You can have what’s left of mine,” Jun held it out to him. As Tatsuya took it, he sifted to rest his weight against his husband’s shoulder. On the TV the talk show host was interviewing an older woman in a teal dress suit. She had long black hair, that was gracefully graying, her appearance, thanks to her makeup, was elegant, hiding nearly all the wrinkles and flaws on her face. She was on the show speaking to the host about a TV drama she was producing; she had the audience and the host cheering and laughing at the end of every sentence.  
  
“Didn’t know your mother was going to be TV tonight,” Tatsuya took a sip from the cup. 

“She called to make sure I saw it. She’s going to be in town next week. Wants to have dinner with us.”  
  
Tatsuya subtly sighed, “I’ll probably be busy.”  
  
The crowd on the TV cheered as the host asked them to give another round of applause for Kurosu, Junko. When it cut to commercial Jun started talking again. “Akira brought home his last exam grades. They weren’t bad. He passed math with the highest score… If he studied a bit more he could come out on top in all his classes.”  
  
“That requires he shows up to class…”  
  
Jun let his head rest on Tatsuya, “…Remember his first year at Seven Sisters? He finished at the top of his class. I remember you telling him if he could keep it up through high school you’d give him that bike of yours at the end of his senior year.” 

“Yeah,” Tatsuya slightly smiled, “I remember.” He finished off the cup of tea and Jun wrapped one arm around his. 

“He used to talk to you constantly. And wait up for you to come home. Even though he’s an only child this house used to be noisy…” only the commercials on the TV responded to Jun’s silence. “Our son doesn’t talk any more.”  
  
“He still talks to you, Jun.”  
  
“Our conversations aren’t the same. I don’t think they ever will be.”  
  
Tatsuya leaned over and set the cup on the edge of the couch, letting it balance on the arm rest, “He’s going to be fine. He- We just have to make it to the end of his senior year. And then he’s free to do whatever he wants.” Tatsuya moved to stand up, Jun hanging onto him, letting his hand slide over his husband’s arm and squeezing his hand at the last moment.  
  
“Sudou came by the shop today…” he looked up at Tatsuya gauging his reaction. “He placed a fairly large order. I’m going to have Akira help me with it.”  
  
“Did he say for what?”  
  
“No… But this is the fourth one.”  
  
Tatsuya nodded before pulling away. He left the room right as the show came back on. He made his way down the downstairs hallway to Akira’s room. He knocked on the door a few times before opening it up. His son was sitting at his desk across from the door. There was a wide window over it, allowing him to look out into the back yard. Akira had covered the walls and his shelves with things he had collected form his friends and family. What stood out the most was an abstract painting hung up over his bed of darkness and light. Morgana was sitting on the edge of Akia’s bed grooming himself.  
  
He took a seat and the cat stopped to climb into his lap; nudging Tatsuya’s hand demanding he scratch his head.  
  
“How was school?”  
  
“It was okay. Only got into one fight.” Akira didn’t turn around. He had some of his text books out and was writing in a notebook. Tatsuya couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not.  
  
“I’m going to assume you’re joking… Jun said you did pretty good on your exams… So, have you thought about what you want to do after you graduate?”  
  
“…Does it matter.” It wasn’t phrased as a question. 

“Yes, it does matter, Akira. Your future matters to us, it should matter to you.” Akira stopped with the notes on his desk to turn around in his chair. On cue, Morgana stood up and climbed to the end of the bed so he could jump into Akira’s now available lap. “Your friends are all applying to universities. You should be too.” 

“I don’t want to. There’s- nothing for me outside Sumaru City anyway,” Akira casually pet his cat with one hand. In his other he twisted his pen around his fingers with ease. He kept his eyes on Morgana, and with the way the light hit his glasses, Tatsuya couldn’t see his eyes. “There’s barely anything for me here. So, it doesn’t matter. I don’t want to do anything.”  
  
Tatsuya leaned forward, his brows knit with concern, “You don’t want anything?”  
  
“If you want to me do something, or go somewhere I will. But I- I kind of just want to be left alone.”  
  
“Yeah, I know. You’re tired of being bothered… That’s why I think you should go somewhere. Leaving the city will give you a fresh start. You can do what want, be who you want.” Akira didn’t respond still spinning his pen around. “…How was your appointment with Dr. Sawada.”  
  
“Horrible,” at least he would talk about this. “He wants to put me on something else. I gave Pops the prescription. He said he’d pick it up tomorrow.”  
  
“Have you been taking them?” Akira finally stopped spinning the pen and lifted his eyes form his cat to his father. “…Well?” 

“I- I took one. Once.”  
  
“You did?” Tatsuya was genuinely surprised. “When?”  
  
“That day I feel asleep in the park. And came home after one… I wanted to just try it. It was not great. I felt like my head was splitting open. I laid down in the park, where Yuusuke and I used to sit and just passed out…”  
  
Tatsuya folded his hands together in thought making a distressed grating noise. One that made Morgana roll on his side to stare at him with curiosity. 

“Don’t take them anymore. And if you want to ‘try them’ do it here. Where Jun can keep an eye on you.”  
  
“I know, I know… But I- just hoped it would make me feel better.”  
  
Tatsuya got up from his spot on the bed and walked over to Akira. He put his hands on his shoulders and squeezed. “Once this is over, you can go back to Dr. Sonomura if you like. I know you’re still talking to Maki, but she can’t give you anything for now. Once this is over, but you have to graduate. I can do anything until you’re out of high school.”  
  
“…I know… Okay. I’ll graduate.”  
  
Tatsuya nodded before pulling Akira forward to hug him. His son leaned into it, but he barely lifted one arm to reassure him with a pat on the back. After he pulled back he stood up and ruffled Akira’s hair. “Your grandmother is coming to visit… You don’t have to indulge her though.”  
  
“Why not, dressing up with Gran is kind of fun,” Akira answered him in the same tone he did when he mentioned his fight. But this time Tatsuya had a clear view of Akira’s sarcastic smirk.  
  
“Don’t get her hopes you that you’re going to take up acting. Just let Ann fill that role, okay?” he rolled his eyes. He gave his one last pat on the head before turning to leave.  
  
“Dad,” Tatsuya turned back to him, “Was Akechi-kun still working when you left?”  
  
“Akechi?” Tatsuya recalled their interaction that morning in the car. “Why do you want to know? … You’re not planning on causing him trouble are you?”  
  
“No, I’m just curious.”  
  
“…Okay, what did you do?”  
  
Akira lowered his head and rubbed the back of his neck, “I just went through his bag.” He looked up at his father’s frowning expression. “I didn’t take anything.”  
  
“He’s here to work on the case, kiddo, don’t ruffle his feathers… But, no, he was gone from the station when I left.”  
  
“I see.” Akira offered his father a smile as he left the room. 

He leaned back in his chair still petting Morgana and picked up his phone to text his friends.  
  
**Akira:** Sushi tomorrow night at eight. 

**Ryuji:** Awesome! I’m down for a free meal!  
  
**Ann:** With the amount you eat, they should make you pay.  
  
**Shiho:** Hideout after? 

**Yuuki:** Hideout after? 

**Yuuki:** Shiho you always do that.  
  
**Akira:** No. Just sushi. I’m bringing a surprise.  
  
**Ann:** A surprise? For me? You shouldn’t have! 

**Ryuji:** I hope it’s a good one!  
  
**Shiho:** Alright, we’ll see you tomorrow, Akira! 

**Yuuki:** Night!  
  
Akira put down his phone and scratched under Morgana’s chin. The cat’s blue eyes were half open. It purred at him, but his tail flicked restlessly. 

“What? Dad just said not to ruffle his feathers. I’m just inviting him out to dinner… It’s completely different.”

 


	9. Sushi is for Losers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So honestly, I've been wanting to write this chapter for a while. Because as much as I love Akechi, I love ruining his day.
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

Questions.

Goro’s mind was wracked with questions and no one was answering him.

That was typical in an investigation, but not form the within the police department itself.  
  
Tatsuya and Chief Shimazu were using him in some sort of game to prove who was right. The occupants of the city he’d met thus far were either extremely strange or extremely suspicious.

And then there was Akira.

Even just thinking about him sent a shiver up his spine. He kept coming up everywhere Goro went. As much as he didn’t like it he was starting to admit to himself that perhaps, in some strange way, Akira would lead him to at least one answer.

Which is why he started his day in the Konan police department’s archives and evidence hold. No one would tell him what Akira did but he’d find out on his own.  
  
“Ha,” He pulled a box off the shelf with Akira’s name on it and a date from three years ago. “Alright, let’s get some answers.” He set the box on the floor and opened it. It was surprisingly light, and he could see why once the lid was off. There was very little evidence. He picked through the report of blood found at the scene, a doctor’s report from the hospital of a head injury to an unlisted defendant. Dr. Sonomura’s report on Akira’s mental health. And the actual filing of the charges- “You’ve got to be kidding me…” Goro covered his eyes with one hand and let his gloved palm slide up and into his hair.

Redacted. The defendant’s name, age, whereabouts, all of it. Stripped from the file.

What kind messes do the Suou family get themselves into exactly?  
  
“Tatsuya said he was innocent…” he sighed and started flipping through the witness statement. A woman, only her last name listed. Said Akira assaulted her and a gentleman late one evening. Only blood at the crime scene belonged to the man. No injuries or sign of a struggle on Akira. But then again, he was never physically examined. His booking was signed off by Shimazu. Looking over the police time line, he was booked and charged without a lawyer, without even his parents present.

“But Tatsuya’s the problem…”  
  
The trial was held in an outside venue, due to Tatsuya’s influence with local law enforcement. Charges were held under the ruling Akira would undergo extensive psychiatric treatment and therapy. If he fails to complete them he’ll be sent to Morimoto Mental Hospital and Detention Ward.  
  
“Sounds lovely…” he picked up the box and brought it one of the empty desk he’d been using in the archives. He’d spent all morning making copies of files the department had on hand about the murders, and now he was going to add Akira to that stack.

Paper work was by far the most boring part of detective work. Sometimes he wished he could just have someone else do this part for him.

 

 

He’d spent the afternoon going through papers and evidence collected from the victims. He wanted to interview Mrs. Futoshi, but she refused to give another statement about her husband’s murder, let alone let Akechi into her house. And everything from Yoshishita’s apartment had been removed and put into police storage.

That’s where he was making his way to now. The woman had lived in an apartment by herself; family out of town. She had frequented the local pachinko parlors and card rooms, and really any place she could play a game of chance, legal or not. Her death had originally been thought to perhaps be a sign from debt collectors.

Her body had turned up in the very hotel Akechi was staying in, but the room had long since been cleaned. If there were any new clues, they were in the storage unit with all her things.

Accordingly, he spent his afternoon here, in this hot little square concrete room admit a row of storage rooms behind the police department. Climbing over stacked furniture, opening boxes, shooing away gnats and doing his damnedest to not freak out every time a spider landed on him.

Really, he needed an assistant.

He opened her old books, her old pictures, any personal item he could put his hands on for hours. But found nothing.  
  
Goro sat on a couch that had been stuffed into the storage unit with a shoebox on his lap, digging around through old journals wondering what he thought he was going to find.  
  
Tatsuya had split up the team that morning- sending half of them to follow up on a few new missing persons, while he took the others to track down some people that needed to be brought in on suspicion. Goro was given the pleasure of ‘continuing his assignment’.  
  
“Continue my assignment… Continue my assignment…” he flipped angrily through pages of an old dairy he wasn’t even reading. “Continue to be some puppet ploy in this stupid, weirdo case. In this stupid, weirdo city. Next thing you know someone’s going to ask me to dance…”  
  
He flipped another page angrily, and watched as a card came flying out. He set the book to the side and got up to pick it up off the ground. A white lamented card, rainbow reflection, golden butterfly.

“No words!” Goro turned back to the book and picked it up to see what was listed on that page.  
  
An entry from ten years ago about her husband leaving her due to money troubles. And the admittance that she had been spending their money at a local casino.  
  
“A photo of deceased parents and a husband who walked out,” he turned the card over looking at the butterfly. “What do you have to do with this?”  
  
He tucked the card into his pocket. At least he had found something. He’d have to tell Tatsuya. Still he didn’t know what it meant. Maybe if he could get his hands on that book in Jinnosuke’s office.  
  
Goro took the book with him as well as he closed up the storage unit. He’d been in there for so long, without air-conditioning his skin felt sticky and his hair was drooping more than usual. A quick look at his phone told him it was past six now.  
  
“I’m supposed to meet Suou-san at seven thirty… I guess I can go back to the hotel and shower. And then see if he can tell me anything about this city over dinner.”

The thought kind of amused him. Getting information over a meal he’d been asked out to. It was a scenario right out of one of his novels. Where the detective charms and seduces targets over a fine meal or a bottle of wine and comes away with an important clue. Or a stolen heart.  
  
Or maybe more.  
  
It wasn’t going to go that route with Akira. He was just going to ask him questions. His only interest in him was work related.

 

  
  
Goro returned to Pleiades to shower and change, this time leaving his jacket at the hotel and wearing a long sleeve white shirt and blue sweater vest. He debated for a few minutes on if he was going to take his suitcase with him, ultimately deciding to leave it behind. But he took the butterfly cards, sticking them in his wallet. He didn’t feel it was safe to leave them unattended.  
  
By the time he walked back to the station it was just after seven and his phone started buzzing.  
  
**Suou:** Almost to the station.  
  
**Akechi:** I’ll meet you on the corner.  
  
He was prompt at least. Goro had gathered Akira was more the type to be late. Maybe he was just late for things he didn’t care about. He stayed outside the station, opting to stand at the end of the block away from the door. He wasn’t sure how he felt about being picked up in plain view of the staff. He didn’t know how everyone else felt about Akira. So far perception was mixed around town, it probably was here too.  
  
The other teenager came riding up, wearing his black shirt with a white button up over it. His bag still over his shoulder. God, he took that cat everywhere. Was he really going to take it to the restaurant?  
  
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he motioned to the back of his bike for Akechi to take a seat. “It’s a bit of a ride from here, we’re going up to Hirasaka.”  
  
“That’s fine, at least it’s not raining this time,” he took a seat, deciding to be polite for now. If he’d save his questions for the restaurant.

The ride did last longer than Akechi’s last time on the back of the bike. It wasn’t terrible, but he didn’t enjoy it completely. Again, at least it wasn’t raining, and he wasn’t going at arrive at the destination soaking wet. As Akira slowed down Goro read the signs of the buildings they were passing and into a little shopping district.  
  
‘Kameya Alley, huh?’ he turned his head catching the sign Akira turned past. He continued to pedal passing a few restaurants until finally coming to a stop out in front of one that read Gatten Sushi.  
  
“Here we are,” Akira let Goro get off first before chaining up his bike out front next to a few others.

Goro looked up and down the street, “There seem to be several restaurants along this strip. What makes this one the best?”  
  
“I get to eat for free,” Akira ran his hands through his hair before leading Goro inside.  
  
It was set up like he’d expect. Tables around the room, a bar up front if patrons wanted to sit there. However, the decorations caught him off guard. He was used to sushi shops having a more traditional look. This one was decorated with rock and roll paraphernalia. Guitar’s, cases, records, drum sticks, parts of instruments.  
  
“What an interesting lay out….”  
  
“Akira!” At the front counter, a man called to them. Goro instantly recognized him from his blue hair. He might not have had the eye liner any more, and the rings were missing of his fingers, but there was no mistaking that dye job.  
  
Akira approached the counter and motioned for Goro to follow.  
  
“What’s this,” the shop owner pointed to him, “You brought _another_ mouth to feed. You’re going to be cleaning fish for a month for me.”  
  
Akira shrugged, “Uncle Eikichi, this is Akechi, Goro. He’s new. I invited him to eat with us.”  
  
“With us…?” Goro glanced at him, but his question went ignored.  
  
Eikichi looked Goro up and down, arms folded and eye brows raised, “He’s different from your usuals. Too put together. Don’t tell me Tatsuya’s got your running with the straight and narrow crowd now?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Good! You’ve got a Kasu High reputation to uphold!” He laughed and then pointed his thumb back over his shoulder. “The rest of your crew is sitting in the usual spot.”  
  
Akira started walking away before Goro could ask what was going on. He didn’t even get to speak to the other man before they were walking away. What ‘crew’ was he talking about?

As they approached the back of the restaurant he quickly found out what Eikichi had been talking about. Sitting at a table was a group of four teenagers. Two boys, two girls. One boy with blond hair and a red shirt, the other with short black hair dressed in green and white. Across from them a girl with long black hair up in a ponytail wearing a white turtle neck and next to her the girl from Kismet Publishing that screamed at him in the elevator.  
  
Wonderful.  
  
They were laughing and carrying on, until the black-haired boy spotted Akira. His face lit up with surprise and pointed at Goro. Everyone turned their heads at his gesture. The others too also looked surprised, but Ann’s eyes seemed to grow the widest.  
  
“Hey guys,” Akira stopped at the table, setting his bag down on the seat next to the girls so Morgana could climb out.  
  
“Who is this nerd?” the blond haired boy spoke up. Like Eikichi his head went up and down taking Goro’s presence in.  
  
“This _nerd_ , is the surprise,” Akira motioned to him, “This is Akechi, Goro. Akechi-kun, these are my friends. Sakamoto, Ryuji; Mishina Yuuki; Suzui, Shiho and-”  
  
“We’ve met,” Ann interrupted Akira. A bright smile on her face, but Goro felt it was anything other than friendly.  
  
“You, met… Where?”  
  
“Yeah, WHERE!?” Ryuji was loud. That was the most obvious observation Goro had ever made in his life.  
  
“At Kismet Publishing.” Ann gave her answer, her smile growing a bit broader.  
  
“Oh- OH!” Yuuki’s face lit up with understanding. And Shiho opened her mouth like she wanted to say something but didn’t.  
  
Ryuji banged both his hands on the table leaning forward as he shouted, _“THAT’S THE GUY!”_  
  
“That’s the one.”  
  
Ryuji pressed his lips together and started sputtering before he broke out into a full laugh. He was basically howling and holding his sides. His uproar was joined by Yuuki’s. It wasn’t as loud, and he was at least covering his mouth so the noise didn’t echo around the restaurant. Shiho seemed to be biting her lip, trying not to laugh.  
  
“R-ryuji,” she leaned forward “Ryuji calm down.”  
  
“Do, one of you want to tell me what’s so funny?” Akira shifted on his feet at a loss.  
  
Goro on the other hand didn’t care what was so funny, he just wanted to leave. Watching a group of teenagers laugh unabashedly at some sort of inside joke at his expense was the last thing he wanted to do tonight.  
  
“Sorry, Akira,” Ann leaned forward to put her hand on Ryuji’s face as she tried to silence him. She cleared her throat and turned at Goro with somewhat warmer smile. “Like I was saying, I met him a few days ago. Akechi-san, allow me to reintroduce myself. I’m Takamaki, Ann. Shiho’s girlfriend.”  
  
At those words Ryuji was sputtering again, but this time he turned his head away from everyone else.

So that was the joke.

It probably made for a really good story. They had all probably laughed about it for hours. How he turned down Ann’s non-existent request. Her girlfriend probably thought he was some pretentious jerk. They all probably felt it was the best joke they ever shared.

He suddenly wasn’t hungry.

“Okay, you all being weird aside, you want to move booths so we can sit, Ryuji?”  
  
“Huh?” Ryuji turned to them surprised, “What, he’s eating with us?”  
  
“Yeah, so move over.”  
  
Ryuji slid out of the seat and took a spot on the side with Ann and Shiho allowing Akira and Akechi to sit down. Akechi sat on the end, so he could escape easily when he was done pretending to he wanted to be here.

So much for getting information out of Akira…  
  
“So, Akechi-kun,” Shiho started talking to him, Ryuji was sitting across from him a half amused look on his face, “Ann mentioned you were a detective?”  
  
“That’s right.”  
  
“Wow, Ann,” Akira crossed his arms and let them rest on the table, “way to ruin my surprise.”  
  
“Hey, we were still surprised,” Yuuki offered Akira a smile. But he just rolled his eyes.  
  
“That must be exciting!” Shiho continued the conversation, “I’m sure you lead an interesting life! Never a dull moment!”  
  
“Yo, I thought detectives were supposed to have good intuition,” Ryuji tapped his head, “But you can’t tell when a girl’s hitting on you? You must be a real rookie.”  
  
“Ryuji,” Shiho hissed. Even thought it was under the table everyone could visibly see her arm move to chastise her friend.  
  
“Hahaha,” to the table’s surprise, Goro laughed. It was hollow and false, but he laughed and grinned brightly at Ryuji, “It’s quite alright. I actually think it’s very funny myself.”  
  
“You do?!”  
  
“I do!” He didn’t. “I promise you, Suzui-san, Takamaki-san, I didn’t mean any harm. I was just so wrapped up in my thoughts on the case that I wasn’t focused on your intent Takamaki-san. You see back home, the way you phrased your sentence, if often used by my fans as a way to single me out for some time alone.”  
  
“Your fans?” Yuuki was the one who spoke up this time.  
  
“Ah, yes, back in Tokyo, it’s a bit of a problem for me.  I’ve been on so many talk shows and featured on so many websites I have a following of fans.”  
  
“Oh, wow…” At least one of Akira’s friends seemed impressed.

However at a glance, Goro figured it didn’t take much to impress Mishima. Just having the ability to speak to others while maintain eye contact seemed like enough.  
  
“That’s true, Maya-san mentioned you were pretty famous for being a genius,” Ann chimed in, “I guess I can see how you’d regularly get asked out by girls.”  
  
“It’s more frequent than I care to think about,” Goro looked off to the side. “Still, I apologize.”  
  
“So you don’t have a girlfriend?” Akira’s friends paused the conversation to glance at him.  
  
The sudden silence made Goro shift, “No, no I don’t. I haven’t the time.”  
  
Akira leaned forward, letting his cheek rest against his hand while he stared at the detective, “If you had the time, are girl’s like Ann your type?”  
  
He hesitated; no one else was talking. “No.”  
  
“So then-”  
  
“Dude.” It was Ryuji that broke the line of questioning. Akira turned to him and they locked eyes. There was a quick silent exchange before Akira leaned back in his seat and shrugged

Luckily their situation was interrupted by the arrival of their food, carried over by a woman and a young girl, she had to be at least middle school age. The heavyset woman with medium length dark brown hair, Akira introduced as his Aunt Miyabi. The young teenager girl with her he introduced as his cousin Etsuko. She had long shoulder length hair, that like her father she had dyed, but her color of choice was purple. She also apparently inherited the desire for eyeliner in excess.  
  
“Here you are, Akira! The house special!” The two set down two large platters of sushi. The ‘house special’ as an assortment of rolls Eikichi put together for a mini buffet for Akira and his friends.  
  
“Yo, Cuz,” the purple haired girl raised her hand to him after setting down her plate, “I see you got a new delinquent for the crew.”  
  
“He’s not a delinquent, Etsuko, he’s a detective.”  
  
“A detective?” The girl used one hand to push her purple locks to fall on one side of her head, “Isn’t that dangerous with _your_ life style?” She leaned forward smirking, “Oh, or are you trying to disarm him by getting in close before the heist.”  
  
“You know me too well,” Akira pointed at her the girl laughed.  
  
“Enjoy your food! I helped make it today!” As quickly as she came she dismissed herself.  
  
“Hey, is Etsuko planning on taking over the restaurant? I thought she was into the whole rock idol thing?” Yuuki spoke up getting a few pieces for himself. Morgana was now crying on the seat. He could smell the sushi. Ann started picking out the fatty tuna for the cat and bringing it to the end of the table so he could eat.  
  
“She’s still doing it. She’s gotten really good on the guitar.” Akira was also picking through the plates.  
  
Goro watched as Akira’s friends started to serve themselves. Ryuji seemed content to just take whatever. Yuuiki was scanning for exactly what he wanted, carefully making a variety for his meal, though sometimes he’d hover a piece in debate only to have Ryuji snatch it up. Shiho and Ann seemed to be having a back and forth about ‘what they had last time’ and wanting to rotate their taste.  
  
That left him and Akira to seemingly staring down the selection, each choosing very little.  
  
“Are you not hungry?” Akira watched him. Goro shook his head.  
  
“Oh no, I was just letting your friends select first-”  
  
“Don’t do that,” Shiho spoke up, “Ryuji will eat everything. He’s a glutton.”  
  
“Hey, you snooze you lose!”  
  
Akechi selected a few pieces, if only so he wouldn’t be asked again, “So, you all eat here for free?”  
  
“Akira’s Uncle lets us get a free meal once in a while,” Yuuki spoke over Akira’s head, “There are conditions… He makes us whatever. Usually extra of what he has on hand, and Akira has to help out in the restaurant as payment.”  
  
“Ah, so that’s what the fish cleaning comment was about.”  
  
Akira shrugged, “Free is free.”  
  
“Free is good!” Ryuji popped an entire roll into his mouth.  
  
Goro had to admit it was good. Better than quite a few places back home. Still he wasn’t here to evaluate the food. He was here for information. If he couldn’t get info out of Akira directly he’d fish through small talk.  
  
“So you all go to the same high school?”  
  
“Ah, we all go to Seven Sisters,” Ann motioned around the table, “Akira goes to Kasugayama.”  
  
Right. Akira had tossed out some back handed comment to Jun the other day about his school…  
  
“None of you go to Kasugayama?” He faked surprise glancing at Akira, “I’m surprised. If everyone you know goes to Seven Sisters, why not transfer?”  
  
Yuuki on the other side of Akira started to choke. Ryuji let out some mumbled sound of disgust. The girls were better at hiding their apprehension.  
  
Akira tilted his head to Goro, “I’m banned from school grounds.”  
  
“Oh? Whatever for?”  
  
“So, Akechi-kun!” Shiho interrupted at the end of his question, “What’s it like in Tokyo? Some of us are going to be going to University there. I think only Ann’s been to visit though? Right guys?” The boys nodded, though Goro took notice that Ryuji seemed to glare at him.  
  
“Life in Tokyo is rather hectic. The subways are always crowded, the streets are packed half the day… But there’s always plenty to see and do. I still haven’t seen all of it. I have to make trips just to go exploring and see what I will find.”  
  
“Oh yeah, the subways are a mess!” Ann joined in on his description, “Ugh, I always feel like a sardine packed in there…”  
  
“So you’ve been often?”  
  
“I went a few times with my parents! For modeling work… Though my most recent trip was with Akira’s Grandmother. She invited me to come along to a TV station set and try out as an extra… I didn’t get the part. But it was still fun.”  
  
So Ann has aspirations to be in the spotlight? Not particularly useful information.  
  
“Well how were you expecting to get the part with acting skills like yours?” Ryuji mocked her. “The damn cat does a better job of acting than you do.”  
  
“Watch it Ryuji! You’re going to leave here black and blue.”  
  
“If you can catch me.”  
  
“I’ll use Shiho’s bike!”  
  
“I can out run any bike!”  
  
“That’s a bold claim,” Goro took a few bites watching them argue. Kind of like siblings. Or at least what he imagined siblings would argue like.  
  
“It’s not bold. You’re looking at the Seven Sisters Track Team star.” The blond boy turned both his thumbs to himself and grinned. “No one is Sumaru City is faster than me. I can out run anything.”  
  
“Except your grades,” Ann sneered. If not for Shiho being between the two of them there may have been some altercation between the two blonds. But the other girl held her hands up to stop them.  
  
“Ryuji’s in track,” Shiho motioned to herself and Yuuki, “And we’re on the volleyball team.”  
  
“Yeah, but you’re the star. I’m just _on_ the team…”  
  
“Don’t count yourself out, Yuuki. One person doesn’t win a match.”  
  
“Tell that to coach…”  
  
Goro continued to eat listening to them. Ann modeled, Ryuji was in track, the other two played volleyball. They all seemed involved in something. All went to a different school. He glanced to the mess of black hair at his side.  
  
“What about you, Suou-san. What do you do?”  
  
“Akira usually helps out at his Dad’s shop,” Goro lifted his gaze to Yuuki. The other boy answered for him. “It’s a flower shop over in Reng-”  
  
“I know where it’s at… But all of you seem to be involved in sports or something else. I was just curious, what do you _do_ , Suou-san.”  
  
Akira sat up and turned to Goro, “I collect things.”  
  
“What kind of things.”  
  
“Things I steal.”  
  
Goro felt his mouth open, and then close with an audible sigh. He couldn’t help but glare in annoyance. ‘Things I steal.’ Like when he goes through people’s bags without their permission? Sonomura also mentioned she had to have Tatsuya return items before. Maybe that assault charge was him committing a robbery?  
  
“He’s kidding!” Shiho leaned forward, “Akira, tell him you’re kidding.”  
  
Akira said nothing, he went back to eating. But Goro laughed, it was completely insincere.  
  
“Oh course he’s kidding. Only an idiot would admit to an officer of the law he frequently committed theft.”  
  
The rest of the group smiled if only to hide their slight cringe. Ryuji was watching Goro, Shiho and Yuuki became invested in their food, but Ann was looking at Akira. She had that same pained look on her face as she did back at Kismet Publishing.  
  
“So what about you, detective?” Ryuji stopped eating and leaned on his elbows. “You’re so keen on interrogating us, how’s about you tell us about you?”  
  
“I already told you-”  
  
“About Tokyo. And your fans. But what about _you?_ What your hobbies, who are your friends?”  
  
“My hobbies, well, if I’m not exploring the city I spend my spare time reading,” Goro raised his eyebrows as he offered a sparkling smile; his interview persona. “I really enjoy mystery novels; trying to solve the case before the end of the book keeps my mind sharp.”  
  
“That-” Yuuki was sitting back looking over Akira’s shoulder, “So you work even when you relax. Do you ever turn your brain off?”

“Never, you never know when a problem or a case will arise.”

“That must drive your friends nuts,” Ryuji rolled his eyes.

“My- friends don’t mind. Sae-san prefers I not slack off. She appreciates that I’m always ready when she has an assignment for me.”  
  
“Your friend assigns you your cases?” It was Shiho who had questions for him now.  
  
“Sae-san is my superior. She’s the Deputy Director of the Special Investigations Department.”  
  
“…Don’t you hang out with anyone your own age?”  
  
Goro felt his tongue press to the roof of his mouth. The four of them were staring at him.

“I spend time with Sae-san’s sister and her friend. We go to university together. Even have a few overlapping classes…”  
  
“So, they must go out exploring and eating with you right?” Ryuji was peering at him, his look accusatory.  
  
“N-not really. Nijima-san and Okumaura-san do invite me out to lunch often but I’m usually working.”  
  
“You call all your friends by their last names?” He didn’t wait for an answer instead turning to Yuuki at the corner of the booth. “Congrats, Yuuki. You are officially, no longer the biggest loser we know.”  
  
Goro’s teeth clenched together at the comment. Yuuki immediately retaliated at Ryuji’s comment. It sparked the two going back and forth over their flaws with Ann trying to get them to calm down. With no one asking him questions, Goro quietly excused himself form the booth and chaos.  
  
Akira watched him get up and then glanced back over the table to lock eyes with Ann. She jerked her head to the side with a distressed smile before Akira got up and left them.

 

  
  
Akira followed Goro to the restroom. The detective was standing over a sink rubbing his face.  
  
“Hey,” Goro turned around to look at him, his expression neutral. “You okay?”  
  
“I’m perfectly fine,” he forced a smile Akira’s direction.  
  
“…No you’re not,” Akira wasn’t going along with the lie today. He walked over and leaned against the sink looking Goro over.  
  
His stare was uncomfortable. It was almost better for him to look at him, lost and in a daze then how he was looking at him right now. Gray eyes fixed on his expression, trying to find, something. Had Akira dragged him here to get information out of him?  
  
That was not how this was supposed to work.

He was the one investigating Akira, not the other way around.  
  
“Don’t mind, Ryuji. He’s all bark and no bite. Kind of the group guard dog.”  
  
“I don’t care about Ryuji.” Goro looked away from him. “…Why did you invite me here?”  
  
“To hang out.”  
  
“Why!?” He snapped turning back to him and raising his finger to point at Akira. His tolerance was cracking. “What exactly do you _want_? What the hell is _wrong_ with you? One day your rambling about shadows and madness and the next you act like you’re fine! You steal from people? You attack people? You have seem to have no regard for anything that’s going on around you- What do you WANT, Suou?”  
  
Akira’s eyes narrowed a bit, but he didn’t break his gaze.

“If- If I knew what I wanted… I wouldn’t have asked you to come here.”  
  
Goro frowned. That wasn’t the answer he wanted. It was worthless to deal with Akira. He’d just have to chalk up his behavior to insanity. Maybe he should be locked up. He didn’t say anything. He looked away, back in the mirror and waited for him to leave.

He didn’t. Akira stayed there, staring at him.

He was ready to snap at him again when the door opened, Yuuki sticking his head in.  
  
“H-hey, Akira? The girls are going… Are you guys, going to come out?”  
  
“Sure,” Akira pushed away from the sink and followed Yuuki out the door. He glanced back over his shoulder at Goro one last time before leaving.  
  
They both sighed, letting all the air escape from their lungs.


	10. Where Shadows Lie and Wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This park used to be like a dungeon.... So 'eff its original layout.
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

Goro lingered in the bathroom for a moment. He felt the urge to wash his face, as if he could wash away the feeling Akira’s eyes left on his skin.

What a pain.

A whole evening wasted.  
  
He exited the bathroom to see Akira and his friends standing together talking. They had packed up what was left of the sushi. How long had he and Akira been in there just staring at each other? The polite thing to do would be to say good bye.  
  
He turned away and started for the door.

He had no reason to be polite, he was never going to see them again.

As he put his hand on the door it swung open and a short husky girl ran right into his chest.

“He-hey! WATCH IT!” She had no reservations about pushing him to the side and standing in the doorway to fix her bright pink hair. She was wearing a lot of makeup with soft tones and her hair was dotted with sparking barrettes and clips. She was wearing a navy blue high school blazer, with a matching bow and a green and blue plaid skirt.  
  
She pulled out a compact to inspect her face, fussing, “God, if my nose is broken…” She looked at Goro, before tossing out an ‘idiot’ and storming into the restaurant.  
  
Goro caught her raising her voice and angrily calling to Ann as he continued out the door.

Whatever that girl’s problem was, whatever all their problems were, he didn’t want to be involved.

 

 

Akira and his friend’s faces turned to see the girl marching towards them.

Ann rolled her eyes, and everyone else started to complain, but Akira’s was more focused on Akechi slipping out the door. He left without saying good bye.  
  
“Takamaki!” The girl came up pointing to her, she ignored the others. “What’s the deal with you taking my spot!”  
  
“Your spot?”  
  
“At Coolest! I‘m before you on the back up models! But YOU were called in! When I responded the agency told me not to bother! You’ve got some nerve! You think you can just steal people’s assignments!”  
  
“Hold up, Mizu-can!” Ann held up her hands, “I just got a call form Maya-san to come in. She called my school and got me dismissed. You were still in class, school wasn’t going to let out for another three hou-”  
  
“Ugh, you can’t just do that. Undermining everyone! It’s not just me who’s upset, all the girls at the agency are tired of you-”  
  
“Hey,” Ryuji spoke up, glaring at the pink haired girl. “Back off, Chihiro. Isn’t using your connections what modeling is all about? Maybe instead of blaming, Ann, you should do your part to get your foot in the door yourself!”  
  
“Can it, Sakamoto!” The pink haired girl crossed her arms, “I’m filing a complaint! I just wanted you to know, Takamaki!”  
  
“T-that’s fine, Chihiro… I mean if you want to my next shoot we could swap.”  
  
“I don’t need your pity! I get plenty of work without you!”  
  
“And yet,” Akira shifted on his feet, “Here you are raising your voice over one little spot in a magazine.”  
  
“No one asked you, _lunatic!_ ”  
  
“Okay,” Ryuji stepped forward, “You take that back!”  
  
“Guh, never.” She turned on her heels and stormed out.  
  
Ann shook her head, “I-I’m sorry, Akira,” she slightly lowered her eyes. “That was uncalled for…I wish Chihiro would stop blaming me for things beyond my control.”  
  
“It’s alright, Ann,” Yuuki and Shiho circled around her to rub her shoulders. “Don’t let her drag you down.”

“Yeah, but… We used to have fun competition against each other. Now she just hates me. Modeling is hard enough as it is, having a friend to support you. I wonder why she suddenly turned on me…”  
  
“You alright, man?” Ryuji looked at Akira. He noticed he was watching the door. He was worried the girl’s comment had gotten to him.  
  
But really Akira was still thinking about how Akechi left without a word.  
  
“I’m fine… I’ll see you guys in a few days, okay?” He adjusted his bag on his shoulder, letting Morgana get settled before departing.

 

 

Akechi was on foot, so it stood to reason that he could catch the detective. He unchained his bike and took off down the street. He could only imagine he was heading south, to head back to his hotel. Maybe he’d stop somewhere and call a cab?  
  
Akira sped out past the Kamey Alley sign, turning his head every direction. He was nearly struck by a car, again. But he didn’t care. He spotted Goro’s back down the street and started to pedal faster.  
  
“Hey…. Hey!” He called out to him, quickly passing the other teenager before circling around and cutting him off. Akira put one foot down to steady his bike, he felt his chest heaving a bit now that he’d stopped. It hadn’t occurred to him that he was riding so fast. “You left without saying good bye.”  
  
“So I did,” was all Goro said before resuming his walk. He went around Akira and continued down the street.  
  
On his back Morgan jostled about, either unhappy from the sudden hastened ride or the other teens lack of politeness. Either way Akira leaned forward slightly so the cat could get comfortable before turning his bike and walking behind the other boy.  
  
He walked about half a block before turning around, an unamused glare on his face, “Do you need something?”  
  
“Are you upset?”  
  
“No,” he turned back around and started walking again. And, again Akira followed.  
  
“Are you upset because of Ryuji?” He asked at the detective’s fleeing back. He didn’t respond. Akira picked up his pace so he was walking side by side with him now, with the bike between them. “Are you upset because of Ann?”  
  
“Why are you following me?” Goro turned to face him, but he didn’t stop moving.  
  
“Because you’re leaving.” They came to a stop at an intersection, watching the cars go by. Goro crossed his arms, and stood in silence. “…Are you going to talk?”  
  
“Why did you invite me out today, exactly? What was your plan?”  
  
Akira shrugged, “Just to invite you out. I told you before, if you want to spend time with me, contact me. You never did… So, I contacted you.”  
  
Goro kept his arms cross and turned to face him, he still looked annoyed, “So you’re saying even if I contacted you, it would be you and your friends. Not just you?”

Akira’s entire body shifted at the end of the sentence. He wasn’t expecting that answer. Any concern or doubt he wore on his face was pushed away by a triumphant grin.

“You wanted it to be just us?”  
  
“That’s not what I said.”

“You just said you didn’t want my friends to be there.”

“No, what I meant was-” he watched Goro rub his forehead as he tried to think, “I didn’t think you had friends. I met Takamaki… But I thought you were alone.”  
  
“Hmmnn,” Akira held his chin between his thumb and finger thinking about his answer. He didn’t accept it. “I know a place we can be alone.”

“You’re not listening to me.”

“Here, get on,” Akira motioned to the back of his bike.

Goro shook his head, “No, we’re going to walk. I saw you nearly get run over. _Again._ ”

 

 

Neither Akira nor Goro said much during their walk. Goro at least recognized the streets half way there, they were heading south. He could easily just ditch Akira and return to his hotel if he felt like it. But the promise of having the other teenager alone, in a secluded place was tempting.

All he wanted was answers. And he was going to get them. This night was not going to be a complete waste.

Akira lead him to a park in Aoba; by the time they arrived the sun had set, no one else was around. Well perhaps if he looked hard enough he could spot a homeless person or two. Still the paths of the park were lit up with iron lamps, and there were a few benches here and there, and large decorative hedges lining the paths and set up in the courtyards spread out here and there.

Certainly any one of them would work for a secluded spot to sit and talk, but Akira seemed set on going further in. He finally stopped at a large fountain and walked over to a bench where he chained his bike up.

“Finally,” Goro walked towards the bench to sit down but Akira stopped him.

“Not here…” He tilted his head, “Back this way.”  
  
Akira walked off the path, stepping over the hedges and disappeared between the trees. Goro followed him, thinking to himself this was the dumbest thing he’d done in a while. Yet still he followed Akira off the park trail and through the plants into an open field area. He thought for a moment this must be where Akira wanted to stop, but the black haired teen signaled for him to keep following. They walked the length of the open grass, until they reached another line of trees and cut between them onto another path. From here Goro watched as Akira approached a chained up, rolling gate with a clear no trespassing sign on it.  
  
He watched as Akira adjusted his bag to accommodate for Morgana and then started to climb over the top. He jumped up grabbing the top bar and pulled himself over to sit with one leg over the side.

“Come on.” Goro narrowed his eyes at him and tapped the sign. “That’s just for show.” Akira pulled his other leg over and landed on the other side of the gate.

He shook his head before following suit, and scaling the gate and landing on the other side.

It was just a bit further now, before Akira brought him to an open area lined with decorative flowerbeds. There were a few hedges here and there, and a line of trees. A few feet more and the area dropped off into seats around an open concert area. Akira set down his bag and let his cat out before taking a seat himself.  
  
The park’s lights didn’t reach here, making the area very dim and overcast in the night’s shadows. It wasn’t completely dark, but it was hard to see things from a distance.

“How often do you come back here?” Goro took a seat across from him.  
  
“Whenever I want no one to find me.”  
  
“That’s not very smart, all things considered with this city’s situation.”  
  
Akira shrugged and fell back onto the grass. Morgana climbed up onto his chest and began making himself comfortable, a dull purr coming from his chest.

“Either way, we’re alone now. Just like you wanted it.”  
  
“I didn’t want to be alone with you. I just wanted to talk to you without anyone else around.”

“That’s the same thing.”  
  
Goro rolled his eyes. Akira wasn’t looking at him anyway, so it didn’t matter if he did it openly.

“Have you heard of a group called the New World Order?”  
  
“Yes,” Akira continued to lay flat on the grass. He had one hand tucked behind his head and used his other hand to pet his cat.  
  
“What do you know about them?”  
  
“Hmn… They’re the reason Aunt Sis has that burn on her upper chest. Pop’s Dad killed himself over them… And Grandpa tried to arrest the old leader’s son, and was kicked off the force… And the old leader was murdered. Anything else.”

“Yes,” Goro got up from his spot and crawled over to Akira to look at his face. He expected an answer, sure. But he expected a vague one. Like everyone else in this god forsaken city. And granted, the answers were vague. But there were loaded with information.  “Start with the first one, who is ‘Aunt Sis’?”  
  
“My parent’s ‘Big Sister’… Maya Amano,” Akira turned his head to him.  
  
“How did she get the burn on her chest?”  
  
“The shrine she and my parents used to play in was set on fire. She was inside. So was Dad.”  
  
“Maya Amano and Tatsuya Suou’s case…” Goro sat on his knees. “Who set the fire?”  
  
“Tatsuya Sudou,” Akira raised his hand of Morgana and the cat lifted its head annoyed. He pointed to his right eye, “You know how he covers his face? But you can still see the skin is brown, and dark… He’s lost his eye. Dad took it out. Hit him with piece of burning wood he grabbed off the fire. Hurled right at his face. No more eye.”  
  
“I see…. So that’s why there’s all this vitriol between them… And Suou-san’s father, tried to arrest Sudou?”  
  
“That’s right.”  
  
“But he was stopped?”  
  
“Tatsuzou Sudou. The old leader. I think… He was a Foreign Affairs Minster? Or something? Some government job. Either way, neither was ever arrest. But his son was sent off the Morimoto for a few years for treatment. His Dad was found dead in their home the same year he got out.”  
  
Goro nodded. He was right to ask Akira about this. He was so eager to just have him present to talk to he was willing to tell him anything.  
  
“One last thing, you said, Jun-san’s father committed suicide in connection to them?”  
  
Akira shrugged. “I suppose that’s what everyone’s guess is… He threw himself off the Seven Sister’s clock tower- well into it. That was the same year the shrine was set on fire. He was Tatsuya Sudou’s homeroom teacher his senior year… Pop’s said he used come over to his house a lot, and they’d be up all night talking. Sudou… Is actually pretty nice to Pops. Too nice. Kind of drives Dad nuts.”

“Hmn…” Goro tapped his fingers on his legs thinking. “What was his name?”  
  
“Kashihara, Akinari.”  
  
“Right,” he nodded. If he committed suicide, there was a report. One that Goro could look up. Akira said they just assumed it was related to the cult, so there’s no hard evidence. Hopefully nothing omitted from the file. That coupled with the new information he was given gave him someplace to start. “Thank you for the information, Suou-san.” He rose to his feet and started to dust off the grass.  
  
“You’re leaving already?”  
  
“I have a lot of new information to go on, and I need to get it documented so I can start early tomorrow with my research.”  
  
The black-haired boy frowned, “Are you always working?”  
  
“When I have a case, yes.”  
  
“At least stay a little while and talk about something that’s not work.” Goro shook his head. He walked around Akira and started back the way they came. The other boy sat up. “Well what about tomorrow?”  
  
“There’s no need for me to come back,” he said over his shoulder, “You’ve told me everything I want to know.”  
  
“I’ve told you everything you want to know… But have I told you everything you _need_ to know?”  
  
Goro stopped walking. He turned back around to see Akira staring at him. Despite how dimly lit the area was he could make out the same blank facial expression, but mocking mirth in his eyes as the day he questioned him in the car. “What is that supposed to mean?” Akira only shrugged and laid back down in the grass.  
  
Goro stormed back over to him and stood over the other teenager, “If you know something, you have to tell me. Withholding information is obstruction. You’re committing a crime.”  
  
“Am I?”  Akira’s eyes were fixed on a lock of hair he was testing between his fingers. “Is all this part of the murder case, or just your own curiosity?”  
  
“It’s part o-”  
  
“You don’t have to answer. I know it’s not. If it was, Dad would be dragging you all over the city to investigate the homes of those involved.”  
  
Goro clenched his teeth together. Homes of those involved? Who else does Tatsuya suspect other than Councilman Sudou?”  
  
“Their names?”  
  
“Can’t recall.”  
  
“This isn’t a game!” He snapped at him. Akira stopped playing with his hair and tucked his hands behind his head.  
  
“…What time do you want to meet tomorrow?”  
  
“I’m not meting you tomorrow.”  
  
“Alright,” Akira closed his eyes, “Text me when you want to hang out.”  
  
“Suou-san…” Akira didn’t move. “Suou-san I know you’re not asleep…” He still didn’t move. Goro took a deep breath and exhaled loudly before turning around and leaving. He made it a few feet away before he heard Akira speak again.  
  
“Goodnight, Akechi.”  
  
He took a deep breath and muttered “…Go fuck yourself…”  
  
It was absolutely unbelievably.   
  
“There’s nothing wrong with that little shit,” he hissed his words out into the night air. “Nothing at all. It’s all an act. Takamaki, the doctors, his parents… They’re all idiots.” Goro stopped at the gate shaking his head. “And I am too, for coming out here. For dealing with this bullshit.” He swung his foot and struck the gate. It clattered loudly. He leaned forward to let his hands rest on it before leaning forward so his forehead could do the same. He never felt his calm demeanor come apart so quickly as when he spoke to Akira.  
  
“I’m better than this… I’m better than that, that child! If he wants to play a game, fine. I can out smart him. I’ve out classed criminals far more intelligent than he is. He is not going to get to me!”  
  
Akechi heard something move in the bushes behind him. He turned around, still feeling upset, he shouted at what he presumed would be Akira following him again.

“Will you just get lost!!” His raised voice echoed in the night air.

But no one was there.

He looked around, he was sure he heard something? Maybe it was the cat, what was its name?  
  
“…Morgan? Anna? … Morgana?” He took a step forward from the gate looking down. Still nothing. “Suou-san, just come out already. You’re not funny.”  
  
Still nothing. He moved toward the bushes kicking at them and looking around. There was nothing there. He shook his head, perhaps it was just a rabbit. There were a lot of plants around. And lots of area around here for them to burrow.  
  
He returned to the gate and climbed over, just as he had before.

However, once he had one leg over the gate he heard the bushes rustling again in the distance. This time Goro turned his head and caught a quick glimpse of a figure. He couldn’t see who it was, they were standing behind a tree, it’s shadow making them, nearly invisible. They were practically melting into it. He wouldn’t have even been able to tell if they were facing him or not, if not for the fact that the moment he stopped moving, they seemed to pull back further into the darkness.  
  
He started to swing his leg back around to jump down and head over to them. To get a look at who was watching him, until they moved again. He could barely make out their hand reaching up towards the front of their face and moving…  
  
Twisting their hair around?  
  
He sighed with disgust, before turning back the other way and jumping down on the opposite side of the gate.  
  
“Of course he’s watching me leave… All part of his game.”  
  
Goro glanced back over his shoulder. From here he couldn’t see Akira. Or perhaps he had retreated.

Either way, we left.

And so did the shadow. 


	11. Great Start to a Good Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! And welcome back! I know it's been a while... I got horribly sick in August with a bacterial infection in my sinuses, which lead to pneumonia and then as I was finally getting over that, luck me I live in Florida so had to prepare deal with Irma... It was great! I had a great time... really.
> 
> On the upside, in a way it gave me a lot of time to horribly scribble down the next set of chapters. I don't have a beta so I'm going over them myself! I know I had done double updates before but I'll probably upload these one every other day. There's at least 6 I have to review. Because what I think is short ends up being super long and I split it in two.
> 
> Seems to be a common author problem tbh.
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

 

Akira woke up thirty minutes before his alarm. He was rare to get up early, but he felt energetic.

Last night was good.

Akira had fallen asleep in the park. Dinner had sort of unraveled. But Akechi had said he wanted to spend some time alone with him.

That was good, right?

He’d left soon after they got to the park, or at least tried to. Akira heard him moving around in the distance. He’d thought to get up and startle him for a bit of fun. But he stayed in the grass, and as a result drifted off to sleep.

Jun sat up until midnight waiting for him. However, all the scolding in the world couldn’t make him feel bad about how late he’d come home.

He’d gone to bed feeling good.

Akira lay in his bed, Morgana curled up on his chest. He had one hand the cat’s back, steadily stroking it, and the other behind his head. At this time in the morning, his room consisted of shadows. He couldn’t really see what was around him, but he knew the shapes. Where the darkness clustered together a bit harsher over the furniture or spread out over the open space, or twisted overhead into things that weren’t there.

There was less of that today. Maybe just a shape or two, instead of the entire room. Instead of twisted people and grasping tendrils.

His eyes drifted over to the painting hanging over his bed. The abstract image of darkness swirling into a void with light extending from its center outward, over shining it. He couldn’t really see it, in the darkness, but it was there. All the shadows crammed up into a rectangular shape, hanging over his bed. Countless times he’d reach up in the middle of the night to make sure it was there. How often had he reached up to grab a shadow and it was nothing?

Just an amalgamation of shapes his brain painted.

But today he _knew_ it was there. Even if he didn’t physically grab it. And the thought made him feel good.

“It’s kind of, strange…” Akira spoke up, causing Morgana to open his eyes. “I want to go outside today.” The cat let out a soft purr but didn’t uncurl himself. “Maybe we’ll run into Akechi again today, hm?”

He finally started to get up, forcing the cat to have to get up as well.

“Come on, if we’re up this early, we might as well start breakfast for Pops.”

Akira got up and made his way to the bathroom. He’d take a quick shower and then get dressed for school. Inside the medicine cabinet, all his old bottles were still there. He’d plucked the Sertraline bottle out of the trash the same day Akechi had tossed it away. It meant nothing to him, he hadn’t even taken that subscription in over a year, but he kept all the bottles. It was somewhat strange to him that the detective had picked that _one_ to throw away out of all of them. It was worth asking about.

Morgana sat on the floor looking up at him, letting out a stifled growl.

He looked down at his cat and smirked, “What? Can you hear me thinking about him now?” The cat slightly shifted its back feet but continued to sit. “Don’t like him, huh? You are Ryuji are just alike…”

Morgan let out a low discontent meow at his comment. The cat couldn’t speak human, but as far as Akira was concerned he understood it just fine. Morgana was smarter than most people he knew.

Morgana followed Akira about as he got dressed, stuffed his school supplies into his bag and then made his way into the kitchen. He could hear his parents moving around upstairs, but no one had been into the kitchen yet. He turned on the stove and pulled out some stuff from the fridge.

Sitting on the counter was a small orange bottle. It had to be his new prescription. He picked it up and rolled it round in his hands looking at the pills through the plastic casing. Tatsuya had told him not to take any of these. There was a drawer full of them upstairs, Tatsuya had been taking his medications and mailing them off to his Uncle Katsuya in Mikage-cho. Having them looked at here would raise suspicion. Tatsuya was forever under the impression that the dosages were off. Akira had to admit to himself there were a few times he couldn’t remember what happened to him after taking the medications. He just had weird dreams about people, if he could call them that.

The were closer to hallucinations. Like what he'd mistaken Akechi for. They were people, but they were faceless. Round, smooth, two black eyes and one colored third on in hte middle of their head. Very elaborate shadows, all black bodies and these weird faces. The only distinctive one was the lion...

It was after the second time that he mentioned these weird dreams that his parents told him to stop taking them.

He opened up the bottle and pulled out one of the white pills. At his feet, Morgana let out a growl.

“Stop that,” Akira put the lid back on and turned to the drawers. He pulled out a plastic baggie and stuck the loose pill into it before putting it in his school bag. Looking back at his cat, his tail was swishing furiously. It was probably a good thing Morgana couldn’t talk, he’d sell him out in a heartbeat.

“It’s for later, maybe… I might just throw it away.”

It was risky to take it. He knew that. But some small part of him lamented not having his old medications. His old life. What if there was the off chance it made him feel ‘better’? As strange as the blackouts and dreams were, he felt serene after the fact. He felt good right now, but that wouldn’t last. It wasn’t like before when days were good more often than not.

Akira reached down to pet Morgana’s head, “Keep it between us, and I’ll give you a treat later.”

He resumed preparing breakfast, and by the time Jun came downstairs he was almost done and had started a pot of coffee. His father walked in, arms crossed and looked around.

“Is this your apology for making me sit up all night again?”

Akira shrugged, “You stay up all the time… Just felt like being up early.” He continued to work over the stove while Jun came behind him and ruffled his hair. He picked up a plate and let Akira serve him. The two sat down and spoke while they ate. About the upcoming order Jun needed Akira to help him with, about Akira’s friends, and Junko’s upcoming visit.

Akira noted Jun wasn’t eating his food, as much as he was focusing on him. He guessed that made sense. Even he couldn’t think of the last time they sat and ate and talked together.

He felt relaxed. At this moment it seemed ridiculous that he constantly skipped meals at home.

Tatsuya eventually came in to join them, even he had a short quip about the fact that Akira was up and awake.

“He even made breakfast,” Jun smiled at him as he took a seat.

“Oh? What’s the occasion?” Akira noted that before sitting down Tatsuya grabbed the bottle of pills and put it in his pocket.

“No occasion, I just… Felt like it,” their son shrugged.

“You must be feeling good.” Tatsuya was now watching him. Neither of them were eating, just watching Akira with an intense curiosity.

“I am. I do feel pretty good,” Akira picked up his empty plate and got up from the table.

“Did something happen?” Akira only shrugged again at Tatsuya’s question. “Still doesn’t give answers.”

“Hmn, I remember Katsuya used to complain you often dodged his questions. It must be a thing for you Suous around this age,” Jun commented. He leaned in closer to Tatsuya and whispered to him, “Just be happy, Maki said there would be good days and bad ones.”

“I’m heading to school,” Akira walked back over to the table to retrieve Morgana. He let the cat climb into his bag before slinging it over his shoulder. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“You’ll be home on time?”

“Yeah, I promise.” He bid them farewell. Catching Tatsuya and Jun debating what exactly triggered their son’s mood change.

Even Akira wasn’t really sure. Maybe it was because of last night. He unchained his bike and took out his phone as he walked it out of the yard. He knew he didn’t have any messages, but he still checked it. His last message was from Akechi, detailing where to pick him up at.

He’d see the detective again at some point in time today. He’d make sure of it.

It had been a while since he actively wanted to see someone.  
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see his other friends or even his parents. But, that was consistently hit or miss lately. He tucked his phone into his back pocket. Especially with everyone else’s schedules’ filling up for cram school, or final practices, final exams… An afternoon out with his friends could be just as stressful as staying at home alone. Sometimes more. It was easier to just avoid everyone sometimes.

Not like anyone would ever let him completely avoid them.

He could try all he wanted to but he’d have to see Tatsuya or Jun at some point in time in the day.

Akira got onto his bike and started peddling.

He had yet to uncover a way to be totally alone during the day from start to finish if he so desired it. Even if he skipped class, he’d have to see someone before the day was over.

But right now, what he really desired was brown haired, auburn eyed detective to talk to him.

The last time he desired to talk to someone about what was going on had to have been before Yuusuke left. Every day they’d meet up before and talk about nothing, or talk about his trail or talk about the town. Every day until he moved.

Long after he moved the feeling persisted. He wasted afternoons, evenings, dawns, just sitting and hiding at Aboa Park as if the other boy was going to walk up and keep him company.

He thought about perhaps inviting Ryuji or Ann once but always fell short of doing so. It just didn’t seem like the place for them. They were always ready to help, but Akira didn’t feel right about bringing them there. It wasn’t the same feeling, but this was very similar.

Akira knew he wanted to see Akechi.

Maybe that’s why today he felt so good?

“Hey, Akira!” Ryuji’s voice called out to him across the street. He slowed his peddling down to let the blond catch up and dart across the road to him. “Ha! Glad I caught you today!”

“You’re on your way to class early,” Akira got off his bike and started walking. Though they went to separate schools, his and Ryuji’s routes intersected for a few blocks.

“I could say the same thing about you, man!” Ryuji walked his hands in his pockets and a huge grin on his face. “So, you doing alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine…” Ryuji was never subtle about his approach to anything. He could come at Akira all smiles and jokes, but he wore his concerns on his sleeve. Maybe that’s why he didn’t like the idea of taking him to the park. He’d worry about him too much. Ryuji would worry himself sick over Akira if he talked to him too much about what was wrong.

“Dude, your Pops called my mom like three times,” Ryuji smiled a little less now, “And you bailed so fast after dinner. Look-!” He nudged Akira with his elbow, “Chihiro’s a fruitcake herself! Man, don’t let her dropping the ‘L’ word drag you down.”

“That’s not why I left,” Akira rolled his head.

“Well, why? And where did you go?”

“I was hanging out with Akechi-”

“REALLY!?” the blond shouted so loudly a few passersby turned their heads. “Why!?”

“I wanted to,” Akira turned to look at him, a slight smile on his face. “We hung out. And then I stayed out a little bit longer.”

“Uh, huh… And so, like, what did you guys _do_?”

“We just talked.”

This time Ryuji stopped, prompting Akira to as well. He watched the blond scratch at the back of his head. His eyes were wide with a mixture of confusion and frustration.

“Look, Akira…” he took his hand and reached out to grab his shoulder, “Man, we’ve known each other years. You know that- whatever you need or if ever you need someone I’ve got your back! You- you can talk to me too! You don’t need to rely on some outsider.”

“…” Akira reached up and put his hand over the other teenager’s offering him a smile, “I know. I promise, if I need you- I’ll call you.”

Ryuji let his hand linger, he didn’t seem convinced. Still, in the end, he smiled again and started walking. For the rest of their short trek together he ranted about the upcoming track meet and how Coach Yoshizaka was riding him harder than ever. They talked about plans for him, Yuuki and Akira to crash at his place at least one more night before senior year was over. He promised it would encompass all the snacks, video games and manga three boys could consume in one evening.

It sounded like a pretty good idea. God knows when they’d get a chance to, but it was something to look forward to. So, Akira agreed.

Even after he split up from Ryuji the other teen was still texting him about what things they needed for their final ‘guys night’. It was silly, it’s not like this was happening anytime soon, but Akira happily participated in the exchange; making suggestions about what would be best to eat, laughing to himself about his friend’s suggestions of games and what series to read.

He was still texting Ryuji as he walked up to Kasugayama High, his phone in one hand and leading his bike along with the other; Morgana settled quietly in the bag on his back. The rest of the students walking the road around him were only an afterthought. Other male students making their way into the reform school. No girls. Just the rejects from Seven Sisters and Karukozaka High, or the kids that were never good enough to get into either to being with.

It really wasn’t the place for Akira, but it's where he had been dumped. He hadn’t made any friends in the two years since he started going to school here. Not that he planned to and he didn’t think anyone really would have wanted to be associated with him. He came to Kasugayama a ‘criminal’ and a ‘lunatic’. Normally he wouldn’t even bother to show up. The thought of even being here would be enough to make him want to retreat from the world. He didn’t even show up last week.

But he came today.

Akira had chained up his bike and resumed texting Ryuji.

 **Ryuji:** Oh yeah, Ann says our next group hangout should be at the arcade.

 **Akira** : I’m fine with that.

 **Ryuji:** No way! I need you to tell her you don’t want to.

 **Akira:** Why?

 **Ryuji:** Because she only wants to go so she can challenge us all to Dancing Star Night. Again!!

 **Ryuji:** Says she has to cement her high score before leaving for college.

 **Akira:** Just glue yourself to Gun About and she can’t embarrass you in front of the kids.

Akira felt a smile creep across his face as he watched the dots appear on his phone and linger for a long amount of time. The warning that Ryuji was typing a heated response to his implications Ann could beat him at games. Though they were true. She could probably beat him at Gun About with a bit of practice.

 **Ryuji:** Look here! Ann’s rhythm game isn’t even a real game! It’s just dancing! You can’t ‘win’ at dancing! There’s no right or wrong! If she challenged me to Ultimate Arena I’d come out on top every- 

Akira didn’t get to the end of Ryuji’s wall of text about how ‘dancing’ games weren’t real challenges. His phone had been knocked from his hand with a swift and steady smack that left his hand stinging somewhat.

The device clattered down to the ground between his and another student’s feet. Akira looked up at the other teenager startled. He hadn’t expected to lose his phone. Yet as soon as his eyes met those of the one who knocked it from his palm, his surprise faded.

The other boy wasn’t that much taller than him; actually, if Akira stood up straight he might have actually displayed an inch advantage over the other teenager. Green eyes, brown hair, and a black jacket over the Kasugayama blue stood in his way. Behind him were two others. It didn’t matter who they were; they were out of focus. Just extensions off the shadow of the senior in his way.

“Suou, I’m talking to you,” the other senior watched him as he bent down to pick up his phone.

“I didn’t hear you say anything, Takagawa-san.” Akira reached out for his phone and nearly had his fingers smashed as the other student stomped on it.

The black haired teen’s fingers recoiled as he looked at the sneaker that nearly claimed his fingertips. He didn’t move as he watched Takagawa grind his foot down. He was speaking to him again, but Akira didn’t respond.

“God damn it, you nutcase!” He leaned down and so Akira had to look at him. “I told you to go home! Damn, what part of you’re not graduating with us does not get through to you!”

“…Graduate…?” Akira reached up and twisted a lock of his hair between his fingers. “I’m just, going to class, Takagawa-san.”

“Yeah? And how long do you plan on doing that? I saw you even had test grades posted- Look we’re not going down as the year an actual criminal graduated. You’ll drag down the entire class reputation.” He lifted his foot off the phone to stand up straight now, arms crossed.

“We’re not even in the same class, Taka-“

“Holy hell, I don’t care! Go home, Suou!” He continued to stand over him, his arms crossed. “The entire senior class already decided. We don’t want you. Get out. Kasugayama actually had a decent reputation going until they dumped you here! _We_ don’t _want_ you, got it?”

Takagawa and his friends weren’t moving. They were waiting for Akira to get up and leave. The black-haired teen picked up his phone studying it. The screen was fine, but the case was cracked. He dragged his fingers over the broken bit of plastic before standing up.

He didn’t do anything to Takagawa. He never had. Their only interactions consisted of moments like this. Threats and shouting and violence. Somewhere along the line, the other boy had appointed himself the leader of the senior class. He wasn’t on student council, he wasn’t in any clubs or on any teams. But somehow he gained the authority to ‘enforce’ rules on the other seniors. His favorite rule was that Akira should not be here.

Akira turned his head squeezing the bridge of his nose. The entire exchange was making his head feel heavy. The thought of Ryuji’s party was distant now, covered up by the pervasively creeping thought that Takagawa was right. He shouldn’t be here. Why had even shown up today?

It was hard to look or think about him without those thoughts piling up on each other. Pushing away anything else other than the sheer audacity that Akira had to even think of something good.

“…. I really don’t want to deal with this today…” Akira grumbled before popping the broken case off his phone.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing,” he dropped the phone case on the ground and pressed his lips together. He looked back in Takagawa’s direction, but not really at him. Past him, through him, down the corridor of the school. He told his parent’s he’d go to class today… “Fine, I’ll leave…” Akira adjusted his bag, feeling Morgana move around in it one more time as he pulled the strap tight against his shoulder. He took a step forward and the other boys hesitated for a moment before pulling in tighter around their leader. Takagawa stepping to the side and raising his chin slightly as Akira stepped up close enough to touch him.

Akira didn’t really care about class. He didn’t care about Takagawa. He didn’t care about any of this. It wasn’t worth it to fight through them. He took a step back with a deep breath and then turned around and started walking away.

That should have been it. Akira should have left without a word. He could hear the other seniors loudly patting themselves on the back for denying him entry to the school. However, Akira stopped at the gate and turned around, he didn’t give a damn about school, but he cared about his things…

“Hey, Takagawa-san,” Akira waited until the boys turned to look at him before he held up Takagawa’s phone in one hand and his case in the other. “Thanks for the replacement.” He tossed the phone at the startled teenager before turning back around and sprinting away.

“What the fu- Don’t just stand there!” He stumbled to catch his phone, just missing it as it hit the pavement and broke. He turned to his friends screaming, “What are you doing! Get him! Suou! Come back here!”

That was dumb. He could have easily gotten away. He could have easily dumped the phone in the trash. He didn’t have to provoke him. He didn’t have to make a show of it.

But, they didn’t have to come after him to start with.

And now they were after him harder than before.

Akira ran away from the school entrance, back down the street. He passed by several other students that jumped out the way as he came barreling down the sidewalk. There wasn’t enough time to unchain his bike and ride away. He could hear Takagawa and his two friends shouting at other people to stop him, to grab him. One of them was shouting thief at the top of his lungs.

It was their fault if he hadn’t wanted his case taken he shouldn’t broken his. He shouldn’t have let him get close enough to slip his hand into his jacket pocket.

But then again, Akira shouldn’t have come to school at all that day.

He darted out into traffic once he hit the end of the block. Car horns blared and tires screeched as the drivers did their best not to hit him. He wasn’t planning on running far, Akira knew where all the best hiding places were in the city. And there wasn’t one far from the school. Up the block, there was a fenced off dilapidated building. It once was an abandoned prison; the city had sold it to a private contractor that was going to renovate it, but for one reason or another construction stopped halfway. And now it was just half scrapped, half-built eyesore in the middle of Hirasaka.

Akira could see the large chain link gate coming into view, but he could still hear the other boys shouting after him. He turned at the corner of the sectioned off area, his legs carrying as fast as he could toward a break in the fence along the sides of the building. Akira practically fell as he tried to turn sharply and hurl himself through the broken fence. His bag caught on the bits of metal for a moment ripping a hole in the side.

Morgana let out a cry of shock but didn’t try to escape.

Akira’s shoes thundered as he raced across the open, barren yard of the old prison and up the side steps of the building. As he burst through the doors he glanced back to see Takagawa and his goons coming through the gate. They were more cautious about it than he was, pulling back the metal so they could get through without cutting themselves. He shut the door and started running through the building.

The gaps in the structure created areas where the light came in in large patches and cast the rest in deep shadow.

He had to keep running, down the hall, around the corner, pass the old mess hall and through an open hallway until he reached a big metal locked door. Akira was panting by the time he reached it. He opened his bag hastily and smiled when Morgana lifted his head, a pick already in his mouth.

He took it from him and jammed it into the lock. His hands were shaking a bit as he heard footsteps echoing through the construction yard. He didn’t have a lot of time. But he’d opened this lock before. It was simple, two twists left, one right, one left-

“I see him!”

Akira looked over his shoulder at one of the boys from his school running his way. He was at the back of the hall, calling to the other two. He turned his head back around and twisted the lock again, smiling as he heard it click. He put all his weight into the door pushing it open, the metal dragging on the floor.

He opened it just enough to slide inside before rushing around to push it shut and relock it from the inside. Just as he turned the latch he heard fist banging on the door, followed by kicks and screams and curses.

Akira started at the door; more importantly, he started at where he knew the door was.

The area he’d locked himself in was dark. Completely devoid of light.

He'd shut himself into the room. Where he was standing he knew was the top of a metal staircase, leading down into a windowless large basement. He could only imagine what the underground room was used for in the past, he only knew about it now because his uncle had told him it’s where his band used to practice before the prison was ‘closed’. Now it was a storage room for the construction crew. They dumped supply crates and equipment down here, still waiting to be used.

  
Akira pulled out his phone and used it as a flashlight to make his way down the stairs. There was no power here anymore, and with no windows, the room was completely covered in darkness.

He could hear Takagawa barking orders at his friends about what to do, but Akira didn’t care. He stepped off the last step and turned his light over the piles in the room looking for someplace to sit. Darkness clustered over the items his light didn’t fall on: that were solid and spread out over the area. Akira walked through the crates until he found the far wall; an old dust-covered couch sat here among the crates. He turned his back and took a seat.

Outside he thought he heard the sound of something metal grinding against the door.

In his bag, Morgana was getting restless. He opened the bag the rest of the way to let the cat out.

Morgana lept from the bag and trotted about. Moving around the room. All these boxes were a playground for him.  
  
Akira closed his eyes and let his head rest against the back of the couch, he turned off his phones flashlight and let the darkness fill up the room.

“…Why did I leave my house today?” He spoke out to no one, though Morgana probably turned to face him at the sound of his voice. “Why did I think going to school was a good idea?”

Akira let himself slide to the side, his back dragging against the dusty cushions until he was laying down. Now that his adrenaline was leaving him, and Takagawa and his friend’s had left from the other side of the door he felt the weight settling onto his mind. Looking at the darkness surrounding him, the utter stillness and the way the shapes shifted in and out of definitive objects he felt sick. Not like he was going to throw up, but like if he closed his eyes the shadows would leap forward and eat him. He’d cease to exist in that moment.

Maybe this was all the darkness in Sumaru City gathered in one spot, just waiting for him?

He saw something move just out of his reach and stretched out his hand for it. He grasped at nothing. Nothing was there. He thought maybe it was Morgana. Akira let out a sigh and lifted his phone to check his messages.

Ryuji had continued talking to him. There were several messages before one last one stating he’d text him again when he had a break from class.

Akira pressed his lips together staring at the screen. He could tell Ryuji what happened, and the blond would without a doubt show up at Kasugayama ready to fight Takagawa. They had fought before, last year. Ryuji got himself a ton of trouble, he couldn’t afford that this year…

Akira closed the conversation and looked over his friend’s names.

If he told Yuuki he’d freak out. He’d probably suggest getting his teachers involved, or would just call Tatsuya and tell him what happened. That’s not what he wanted. His parents only complicated things. Ann and Shiho would come get him after school, certainly. Ann would suggest they pig out on something, anything sweet to lift their spirits; Shiho would unload with any encouraging statements they could. They’d stick with him until they were convinced he was okay- but they’d go home themselves with a weight on their shoulders.

He stopped on Yuusuke’s name. His information was still programmed into his phone.

Akira clicked it and started typing.

 **Akira:** Yuusuke. Can we talk today? The usual spot?

The moment he hit send an automated message responded.

**Sorry, your message could not be sent. The number you are trying to reach is no longer in service.**

Akira closed his eyes after reading it. Why did he think that would work? It hadn’t worked it years. Just seeing it made him regret even thinking about the other boy. Be backed out and tapped Akechi’s name. He’d decided that morning he wanted to see him right?

 **Akira:** When are you done working today?

 **Akechi:** I can’t see you today, Suou. Tatsuya-san has given me a lot to do.

“That’s fine…” he didn’t type it. Instead, he turned the phone face down and sighed. Morgana had returned, he could just barely see the cat lying down, watching him from the floor. He reached out and pet his head. “Pretty shitty day, huh? Par for the course I guess…”

Morgana didn’t purr this time, only bowing his head to allow Akira to scratch behind his ears. He closed his eyes as he did so, figuring he’d sleep here and make up for the time he lost getting up so early. It’s been an exhausting bad day already.

In the end, he felt pretty terrible.


	12. Take it Seriously, You're Just a Kid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter! It was actually hard for me to write. You would think having first-hand experiences with mental illness would make it easier to write, but I rewrote that last chapter a bunch of times. Cause I never felt it properly conveyed how you can feel happy sometimes, even when you're unwell. And how it can be snatched from you in a moment... But I digress.
> 
> I hope you guys are ready for more sad teenagers cause its sad teenager time!
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

It took Goro a little under a half hour to get back to Aboa Park’s entrance. He stuck to the trails, instead of meandering through the hedges like Akira had him doing. The boy was infuriating. There couldn’t be anyone more annoying he’d encountered in his life up to this point.  
  
“I’ve told you what you want to know but is that what you need to know?” he questioned himself out loud in a mocking tone.  Goro rolled his eyes as he finished. That hadn’t been exactly what Akira had said, but it was close enough. And just as aggravating.  
  
By the time he reached the parking lot, the area was empty, save for one black car sitting off in the corner. He stopped and stared at it for a minute; couldn’t see into the windows. But then again it was sitting away from the lights and in the shadows. Considering the park was closed it was probably a security patrol to keep the homeless out.  
  
Goro shook his head, “I should go back and find them, and tell them there’s a dumb teenager sleeping in the grass by the concert hall.”  
  
Still what happened to Akira wasn’t his concern. The boy was a waste of his time and effort. Inviting him out to eat, asking him to spend time with him? Going through his things? What were his intentions from all of this?  
  
He shook his head, pinching his nose, before dragging his fingers down the middle of his face. He had to stop thinking about Akira. He couldn’t dedicate his time to him, there were more important things going on.  
  
Goro left the park on foot, he was close enough to Narumi that he felt no need to call a taxi. True he’d be getting back to Pleiades late, but he didn’t mind.  
  
The streets of Sumaru City were quiet, he couldn’t help but wonder if that was due to people staying in on account of the murders, or if it was always like this. In Tokyo, there were always people on the streets, day or night. Yes, some areas thinned out, but major streets always had foot traffic on them. Here, it seemed like the citizens got off the street once night approached.  
  
He walked up to the Pleiades just shortly before eleven, the lobby of the hotel was quiet, with just one receptionist sitting at the desk. Goro walked past her, offering her a simple nod as she greeted him, and up to the main elevator. He pressed the button and waited. His eyes drifted up the floor indicator over the door and he noticed it was off. He pressed the button again, nothing.  
  
Was it even moving?  
  
The young detective leaned forward to listen to the door, he heard absolutely nothing. He took a step back and returned to the front desk where the receptionist was now on the phone.  
  
“Excuse me,” he waited for the receptionist to turn to him, “The elevator doesn’t seem to be working.”  
  
“Did you try the main elevator?” she looked at him curiously.  
  
“Yes.” of course he did. Why wouldn’t he?  
  
“Ah, I’m terribly sorry. The main elevator has been shut off for the moment, you’ll have to take either of the side ones.”  
  
“There’s no out of order notice on it.”  
  
“It’s not out of order,” she shook her head. “Tonight, Councilmen Sudou is having a private meeting up in the penthouse. To ensure his utmost privacy, the main elevator his shut down to patrons in the evening. Only those with a card to the penthouse can access it… You’re free to take the other elevators, however. They do not ascend to the penthouse floor.”  
  
“I see,” Goro nodded, thanking her as he stepped away from the desk. Tatsuya’s warning to him his first night in town bubbled up to the surface of his thoughts. Sudou takes over the hotel at night.  
  
He walked back to the main elevator and examined the panel. To the side there was a card reader, he’d figured it was for the servicemen, but now he knew it was just to turn it on and make your way up. Did that mean he could ride it up to the penthouse during the daytime? There were probably still locks in place even once he got to the floor. Shutting the elevator off was just an extra precaution.

But a precaution for what? He had to know.  
  
Goro walked down the hall to the secondary elevators and took one up as high as he could. He impatiently watched the numbers tick up until he got off on the second highest floor. There weren’t as many rooms here, the suites were spread out, built more like apartments, and thankfully it looked like the guest were occupied in their rooms.  
  
He had no idea how he was going to get up to the last floor, so having the empty hallway to roam and think was a blessing. He paced the hall, holding his chin trying to think of how he could get up to the next floor. If he was bold and stupid, he could attempt to reason with one of the guests to allow him into their room and use their balcony to climb up… That should only be a last resort.  
  
There should be a stair access for emergency situations, but that could trigger an alarm. That would send everyone out of the building. His intention was to try and figure out what this meeting was about, so that would do him no good.  
  
Goro came to a stop, mulling over how he was going to get upstairs when he heard the sound of an elevator from behind. He turned around and saw no one down the hall, so he made his way to the corner and peeked around. There was a housekeeper there, pushing a cart covered with silver trays for food out from behind a set of double doors. Just past her Goro could see a plain, concrete hallway and what appeared to be an elevator door.  
  
  
“Ah, the staff elevator… That should go up the top floor,” he stayed by the corner, watching the woman close the doors before she pushed her cart away and down the opposite direction. He slowly made his way up to the doors, not wanting to alert her to turn around before carefully opening one of the doors and slipping inside. He pressed the button to open the elevator doors, and quickly entered. Goro turned to look at the button pad and smiled. “Next stop, the penthouse.”  
  
He pressed the button and took a step back with his arms crossed.  
  
Sudou was a student of Kashihara-san, the son of a suspected cult leader, and the center of a dismissed case. Not to mention the center of animosity between more than few people in town. Any ‘private’ meeting he was having, of course, Goro wanted to know about it.  
  
When his short ride came to an end, he found himself in another small staff room. Goro approached the double doors and carefully opened them, peeking out into an empty hallway.  One side was a wall, most likely the edge of the penthouse, the other was all windows. There weren’t any other doors. Not that he expected there to be any. He stepped out shutting the door behind him and carefully made his way down the hall. He followed it to the end of the floor where it curved around the corner.  
  
A quick look around revealed the hall made its way past a pair of elevator doors and up to a set of large double white doors. More than likely the front doors of the penthouse.  
  
“I can’t just walk right in… But I can get close enough to listen. Hopefully, they're close to the front.” Goro came from around the corner and started down the hall. He wasn’t more than two feet from his hiding place before he heard the ding of the elevator. His breath caught in his chest as he scrambled to back up. Turning around on his heels and dashing back around the corner. He pressed his back to the wall, still holding his breath as he heard someone step off the elevator.  
  
Goro finally managed to convince himself to breathe as he heard the footsteps moving away from him. It sounded like a pair of heels. Before slowly peeking around the corner. He spied a woman in black dress pants and matching shirt. She had long black hair, with a few grey streaks and slightly tanned skin. Under her arm, she was carrying a moving bag.  
  
He watched her approach the double doors and knock.  
  
The door opened quickly, revealing Jinnosuke Sawada. The man raised his eyebrows surprised before speaking.  
  
“You’re alone,” he stepped to the side and the woman entered.  
  
“There was a slight complication,” her voice was heavy with an accent. From where Goro couldn’t quite pin, but her words were hard, coated in a deep tone that rang in his ears. He watched as her bag shifted again and a black cat stuck its head out.  
  
He slightly grimaced at the thought of another person carrying their cat around in a bag. And as if it heard him thinking about it the creature turned its head to look down the hall. Goro noted its purple eyes fixed on him as its owner moved further into the doorway.  
  
“How ‘slight’ is this complication?” Jinnosuke was asking the woman as he started to close the door.  
  
Goro saw her arm move up to her face, more than likely to brush some hair away, “I will explain in front of the others. But your plans are interfering with one another.”  
  
With that, the door shut. Goro stepped out from around the corner again and made his way up to the door. He leaned in close to listen, but couldn’t hear anything. They’d moved too far back into the penthouse for him to hear what was going on.  
  
“Dr. Sawada and strange woman meeting with Councilmen Sudou…” He turned away from the door and retreated for now.

 

 

  
Back in his room Goro sat down at his computer and began researching the information Akira had given him. Pulling up everything he could find online about Tatsuzou Sudou and Akinari Kashihara. Certainly, there would be more files about both their deaths at the station, but for now, he’d settle for news reports. He could comb through the archives tomorrow after Tatsuya gave him some meaningless task.

Again.  
  
He rubbed the side of his face with a sigh.

“It’s a test,” he had to reassure himself, “I have to prove my worth to him. Just like I have with everyone else…” he resumed combing through articles, and printing off any of interest he found. Akira had been right. The senior Sudou had served as the country’s Foreign Affairs Minister. His estate was located here in Sumaru City, in Narumi actually. Upon his death, it passed down to his only son.  
  
“If he has a private estate, why meet here in the hotel?” he printed off the address of the estate and added it to his stack of information.

Next, he began scanning through the articles on Kashihara’s death. A tiny thought pricked at his mind, that he didn’t really want to look into a suicide. He’d researched many deaths during his short time as a detective, but he couldn’t recall having to look too deeply into any suicides. Investigating why the man killed himself, even just thinking of what the answer could be, made his stomach clench.

His thoughts were divided between looking for information on the matter and trying to not focus on why someone would kill themselves. What was there to gain? All the pain it causes the people you leave behind. All the pain it causes the person who has to find you…  
  
He stopped reading for a moment leaned forward to let his left-hand rest on his forehead.  
  
“I have to focus,” he muttered to himself. No one was going to help him with this, he had to find the answer on his own. Becoming distracted by intrusive thoughts was not an option. Goro took a deep breath and sat up straight. Pushing his personal concerns aside he resumed looking up information on Kashihara.

Much to his surprise, there were _several_ articles on the man before his death. Most of them sketchy tabloid columns and gossip pieces from entertainment magazines. None of them painted the man in a good light as they broken down his lengthy and messy divorce to actress Junko Kurosu. His estranged wife sighting he was delusional, demanding, and cheating on her with a fellow teacher at Seven Sisters High School.  
  
He honestly didn’t care at all about the information, but there was so much of it: interviews with a private investigator; accounts from students. If anything, Goro took away that his ex-wife was vicious in her smear campaign that continued all the way up until days before Kashihara’s death.

She sounded like a wonderful woman. He wondered how a high school teacher ended up married to an actress…?  
  
The last article that came up for Kashihara came up years later. Actually, the article was a spot in Coolest, mentioning ‘Jun Kashihara’ taking up a teaching a position at his father’s old school.  
  
Goro skimmed over the article and checked the date. “I didn’t know he was a teacher… But this still has his family name. Akira would have been a toddler? I wonder when he stopped teaching…”  
  
He printed it out along with the others and set it on the stack. By the time he finished, it was past two in the morning. He reasoned he should probably get some sleep before having to report into the station. Especially since he was operating this case without any coffee. He stood up with a sigh and contemplated if he should try to seek out a café in town. Surely there’s someplace around with decent coffee.

 

 

Goro was up and at the police station by six.  He probably slept two hours at best. Try as he might, once he was no longer focused on work his brain kept mulling over the topic of suicide. It made it difficult to sleep. Thinking about people being so destitute that they’d rather die than face the world.

Or raise their own kids.

It was going to be an exhausting day.

He entered Tatsuya’s office, expecting to see the detective and instead was greeted by three different individuals standing around chatting. Two men and one woman. The man closest to the door turned to face him; he was an older man, mostly short grey hair a bit on the husky side, he was wearing a long trench coat.  
  
“Hmn, who are you kid?” his voice was a gruff, uneven, and inconsistent in tone. The noise reminded him of sandpaper clumsily being used to try and smooth out a wooden cube into a ball.  
  
“Oh!” the woman spoke up. She was sitting down across from Tatsuya’s desk. She was a white woman with dark brown hair, cut down to ear length, and bright red lips. She was wearing a thigh length dark blue skirt and matching top. “This is the kid from Tokyo Special Investigations! Remember they were talking about him yesterday down at the desk?”  
  
“When they said ‘kid’ I just thought they meant rookie, not an actual child,” the last one to speak was the second man. He was standing next to the woman, leaning on the chair. He had short, nearly buzz cut black hair and a beard and neatly trimmed mustache. He was wearing a white button-up and black pants and smiling mockingly at Goro. “You sure he’s not here on some school assignment?”  
  
“I assure you I’m not,” Goro smiled at them, though the action felt hollow. Adults were cruel. It was the most constant fact of his life. Tatsuya didn’t take him seriously; Chief Shimazu wanted him to spy, and now this lot greeted him with jokes, like so many others had before. Exactly at what age would people take him seriously on sight?  
  
“Knock it off, you two!” The woman got up and approached him, “It’s nice to meet you, kid. I’m Sylvia! This here is Akiyama-san!” she pointed to the older man. “And this is Ueda-san,” she motioned to the younger man who now took her seat. “We’re all assigned to the serial killer case under Suou-san.”  
  
“Nice to finally meet you, I guess,” Akiyama apparently did not care. He handwaved Goro’s introduction.  
  
“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Akechi, Goro.”  
  
Sylvia put one arm around Goro and turned to the two men, “Well, boys, what are we gonna call the new kid?”  
  
“Call?” Goro shifted under her arm, somewhat uncomfortable.  
  
“Why don’t you just call him kid?” Akiyama clearly wasn’t having any of whatever this game was, and honestly, Goro didn’t want to have any of it either.  
  
“Come on, ‘kid’ is no fun! And it’s kind of demeaning. He’s not a kid-” Sylvia stopped to look at Goro, “How old are you?”  
  
“Nineteen,” he side-eyed her. She was sticking up for him, he thought? Or maybe this was some sort of new joke?  
  
“See, not a kid. So that’s a terrible nickname,” Sylvia still hadn’t let go of Goro. She was now rubbing her chin in thought.  
  
“How about ‘Ace’?” Ueda fished a cigarette out of his pocket and put it in his mouth.  
  
Goro started to talk, trying to take the woman’s arm from of his shoulder, “I really don’t think I need a nick-”  
  
“Every new person gets a nickname!” Sylvia let him go but put her hands on her hips. “You’ve got to ‘earn’ being ‘Akechi-san’ in this group.”  
  
“I… See…” the teenager pressed his lips together. So, this was an initiation? Everyone went through it? Was that a form of acceptance or mockery? A sign that she was inviting him in or pushing him out?  
  
“Tokyo!” She snapped her fingers suddenly shouting out loud. The three of them stared at her confused. “That’s where you’re from, right? So that’s your name. ‘Tokyo’.” Sylvia motioned to herself, “I was ‘Wyoming’ back at my station in the States.”  
  
“Do all American police stations deal out nicknames like this?” Ueda spoke up, he pulled out a lighter and brought it up to the end of his cigarette.  
  
“Only the best ones.”  
  
“I, really don’t want to be referred to as ‘Tokyo’,” Goro spoke up and the three adults turned to stare at him.

There was a moment of silence before Ueda responded, taking his newly lit cigarette from his mouth and sighing, “That settles it, ‘Tokyo’ he is.”  
  
“If you don’t like the name, you’d better pull your weight fast, Tokyo,” Akiyama turned his back to him.  
  
Sylvia started laughing, her hands still on her hips. Ueda was grinning in his seat, and though Akiyama didn’t turn around Goro was sure he heard him snort.  
  
So the nickname was to make fun of him, wonderful.

He’d been laughed at yesterday by Akira’s friends and now he got to kick off today being laughed at by a group of adults. He begrudgingly pressed his lips together and attempted to force a smile. However, his hand squeezed the handle on his briefcase. Why was it always like this? What did he do to earn the badge of outcast everywhere he went? What so damn funny about making fun of him?  
  
“Come on, Tokyo!” Sylvia grinned so wide her teeth were showing, “Lighten up. It’s just a nickname.”  
  
Goro slightly opened his mouth and let out one long dry ‘haa’. He couldn’t muster up the energy for one of his fake laughs. The woman was eyeing him, ready to speak again when the door opened.  
  
Tatsuya entered, and Goro felt relieved. He wouldn’t have to endure these three for much longer.  
  
“So what did Shimazu-san say?” Akiyama watched Tatsuya circle around his desk, “You off the case?”  
  
“Not yet,” Tatsuya picked up a couple of files waiting for him on his desk. “But it’s getting rough.”  
  
“We’ve had no new leads,” Ueda leaned to one side of the chair. “Unless a new body turns up-”  
  
“-Let’s hope not,” Tatsuya extended one file to the sitting police officer. “Ueda-san, Yoshishita’s ex-husband arrived in town last night. You’re interviewing him.” He reached out and grabbed the file before flipping through it.  
  
“Akiyama-san, if you would head over to Sumaru Investigations and check in with Serizawa-san. She was able to get some more information on Okibo from the first murder.”  
  
The older detective scoffed, “Relying on private agencies now? We’re that desperate?”  
  
Tatsuya folded his arms, “Okibo came up as a match for a girl they were asked to find two years ago. Her family reported her missing, was afraid she fell into Yakuza ties. It’s worth asking them for help.”  
  
The older man just let out a dull ‘hmn’, but said nothing else.  
  
“And Sylvia,” Tatsuya turned to the woman, she had a bright but nervous looking smile on her face, “Thirteen more missing person reports came in this morning. Check up on each one.”  
  
Sylvia let out a very audible grunt of dismay. “Missing persons again?” She glanced over at Goro and smirked, “It would go a lot faster if I could have Tokyo work with me!” She put a hand on his shoulder. Her lack of appreciation for personal space was almost as annoying as Akira’s. “What do you say, Suou-san!”  
  
“Tokyo?” Tatsuya’s eyebrows raised for a moment before looking at Goro and shaking his head. “Akechi-san is coming with me today. We’re interviewing a person of interest.”  
  
“I-I am?” Sylvia removed her hand from his shoulder, and a weight felt like it lifted from Goro’s back. Not just because the woman's hand was gone but because Tatsuya didn’t join in in the rest of the group's foolish name calling. And he wanted him to work with him today. Perhaps things were looking up in some regards. “I’ll do my best, Suou-san.” He nodded, with a slight smile. The first one he’d had all morning.  
  
“Alright then, let’s get to work.”

 

Sumaru TV was Tatsuya and Goro’s destination for the day. The two took a police-issued cruiser to Aboa. The familiar streets made him a bit uneasy, and had him thinking about being here last night with Akira. However, he couldn’t allow himself to focus on that just now. Tatsuya had asked him to accompany him to the television station to help with an interview.  
  
The fact that the detective wanted him to assist in the more active parts of the investigation today was a relief. It was a sign he was finally getting somewhere with the man.  
  
“There was a second card, in Yoshishita’s belongings. In a journal detailing her divorce with her husband,” Goro spoke looking ahead at the approaching building. He was filling Tatsuya in on what he found yesterday. “That was the only thing of interest.”  
  
“Two cards so far…” Tatsuya kept his eyes on the road as well. He hadn’t really been commenting much on what Goro was going over.  
  
“If I could get into Futoshi’s things, I’m sure I’d find another. But his wife seems done with the police. She won’t even answer the phone.” He folded his arms and looked over at the detective. He remained silent. “Hmn, well I was planning to look into some information on the New World Order today, after the interview. About Kashihara-san from Seven Sisters-”  
  
“Oh?” Tatsuya’s eyes actually glanced his way this time. “Who have you been talking to?”  
  
“You told me to research, and I’m a detective,” Goro turned his head to face him, “This is part of my test right? To see what I can uncover without you. You want me to prove I can actually do this job.”  
  
Tatsuya half smirked at him as the pulled up the stations parking garage. “I don’t doubt that you can do this job. Just who you’re doing it for.”  
  
As he got out of the car Tatsuya’s words floated around in the forefront of Goro’s thoughts. ‘Who he was doing it for?’ He wasn’t doing it for anyone. He was doing it because it was what he wanted, what he believed in. He’d decided a long time ago that he wanted to peruse the truth, to expose those that used their power to harm others, to exploit the world, to ruin lives.  
  
He unintentionally closed the door harder than necessary, but the other detective didn’t seem to react.

‘Who was he doing it for?’

Why did that matter? Wasn’t what mattered that he could do the job? That he could do it better than most? He followed Tatsuya into the station, staring at his back. He’d been brought along, but he still wasn’t trusted. He was just a burden to Tatsuya… The man might not have laughed at him like his son’s friends or the other adults, but he mocked him in his own way.  
  
Why had Sae sent him to this horrible city?  


Inside a TV Station was an environment Goro was used to. He’d been in a few several times back home. His age and intelligence garnered a great deal of attention. And once he’d been officially asked to help the Special Investigations Unit that only skyrocketed.  
  
Sumaru TV was smaller than the stations he’d been to, but it was all the same. The lobby was filled with a bunch of flashy signs and modern furniture. There were security guards preventing visitors from walking onto sets or into restricted areas. Visiting groups were crowded together at the desk for passes or behind roped off areas to be directed for audience seating. The walls were covered with posters of shows shot in the studio, and large TVs ran displaying the same programs.  
  
Tatsuya got them the clearance to enter into the dressing room floors and they made their way up to the third floor. In the elevator, Tatsuya disclosed to him what he was expecting to happen during this interview, and the information only made Goro’s assurances that he was not welcome more apparent.  
  
“We’re here to speak to a woman named Ishigami, Chizuru. Also known as ‘Wang Long Chizuru’. She has a fortune telling show here at the station. It’s extremely popular in the area.”  
  
“Wang Long?” Goro nodded, “I remember reading there were quite a few scams years back involving that style of fortune reading…”  
  
“Chizuru will tell you they were ‘false prophets’. She still manages to generate a large following due to ‘eerie accuracy’ with her fortunes,” Tatsuya pulled out his lighter and flicked the lid. “I’m going to asking her about Yoshishita-san… I just need you there to lighten her mood.”  
  
“Excuse me?” Goro was confused by Tatsuya’s phrasing. “What do you want me to ask her?”  
  
“I don’t want you to ask her anything. Just talk to her. She has a fondness for celebrities. That’s why you’re here. She’ll be in a better mood.”  
  
The elevator came to a stop and Tatsuya stepped off. “Oh…” Goro lowered his eyes slightly as he followed. He wasn’t here to really help. He was here to be a prop.  
  
Tatsuya led him down the hall and to Chizuru’s door and knocked. From the other side of the door, a woman’s voice answered telling them to come in. Though muffled Goro could hear it had a thick, heavy accent.

Inside, sitting in the chair was a woman, long black hair with greying streaks, tanned skin wearing a dark suit. Around her neck, she wore a strange stone pendant, a few circles clustered together in the middle with four diamond shapes branching off. He’d almost argue it looked like a butterfly. The moment her eyes fell on Tatsuya she spoke, she spoke, and Goro’s heart leaped in his chest.  
  
“Detective,” unfiltered through the door, there was no mistaking that she had the same accent as the woman from last night at the penthouse. “I knew you would be here today.”  
  
“I should hope so,” Tatsuya approached her, stopping a few feet from her hair with his arms crossed. “I made an appointment.”  
  
“Hmn,” she smiled, closing her eyes. “An appointment I denied, yet here you are.” She leaned back in her chair and raised one hand, “The dragons told me today was a day of unfortunate meetings. That could only mean you, Detective. You are _unfortunate_ , after all.”  
  
Her words were laced with venom, but Tatsuya didn’t flinch. “Chizuru, I’m here to ask some follow-up questions about Yoshishita-san’s time spent with you.”  
  
“I’ve already given my statement’s, Detective.”  
  
“Yes, you gave them, but statements tend to change as time moves forward,” Tatsuya nodded his head, “You saw Yoshishita, Kaede twice a week correct?”  
  
The woman visibly rolled her eyes, “That is what I told you, yes.”  
  
“And she came to you seeking to have her fortune told.” Tatsuya waited as Chizuru nodded. “She asked you about her fortune when it came to gambling, where she would have the best luck, but did she ever mention personal problems?”  
  
“She was a gambler, Detective, she had many personal problems. Most of them to do with debt.” Chizuru reached up and brushed a lock of her long bangs to the side, for a moment letting it twist around her finger before falling back in place.  
  
“And you never did anything to help curb her gambling ways, did you?”  
  
“She came to me seeking advice on if she would win or not. Not how to stop,” Chizuru smiled, “I am not in the business of curing people. Just guiding them.”  
  
Goro watched Tatsuya and the woman go back and forth. The longer he listened to her, the more certain he was she had been the woman to step off the elevator. Did Tatsuya know she was involved the Councilmen? He had to, right? There was no way he was clueless. He turned his attention to the other detective, his expression hadn’t changed since they entered the room. The same, straightforward scowl, like he was burning a hole into the woman in the chair with just his eyes.  
  
“So,” Chizuru spoke up before the next question came, “Are only you speaking today, Detective? Or will your young friend ask me a few questions as well?” Goro turned back to face her now; the fortune teller had a smirk on her face. “You have not even introduced him, you’re both rather rude.”  
  
“I figured your dragons would tell you who he is already,” Tatsuya answered her, mocking her abilities.  
  
Chizuru laughed, letting her head tilt slightly back, “You’re lucky I’m a well-informed woman. I do know who he is. Detective Akechi, Goro. Tokyo’s Detective Prince… Curious to see you out here. Are you giving Sumaru City’s police department a few pointers?”  
  
Goro raised one hand to his mouth and let out a soft chuckle before responding, “I’m here to lend my abilities to Detective Suou on this case. It’s been a great honor.”  
  
“He should be honored that they sent you. A brilliant young man such as yourself… I’m certain you could solve this case on your own. Your mental prowess alone is more than enough from what I’ve heard.”  
  
Goro couldn’t help but smile at her worlds. It was shameless flattery, but after a long train of being dumped on by everyone else, he’d met it felt good to have someone’s respect. Who cares if Tatsuya had already foretold him the fortuneteller had a thing for celebrities, and her words were more than likely just hollow praise to curb Tatsuya's hard questioning?  
  
“Chizuru,” Tatsuya seized control of the conversation again, “What about her former husband? Did she ever ask you about him?”  
  
At this question the woman turned to him a bit of surprise on her face, “You did not ask me about her husband before?”  
  
“I’m asking you now. Did he ever come up?”  
  
Chizuru paused for a moment, her eyes fixed on Tatsuya before she sighed and nodded. “She asked me about him from time to time. Asked me about is well-being. I told her time and time again, he was happy.”  
  
“Happy without her…” Tatsuya uncrossed his arms. “Did she ask anything else about him?”  
  
“She wondered if there was a way they could be together again. I told her, he was happy without her. And this world, there was no way to change that.”  
  
“In… this world?” Goro questioned her statement. That didn’t make sense to him. ‘This world’. What other world was there?  
  
“Yes,” the fortuneteller smiled, “In this world, he would never have her back. Ever.”  
  
“And how did she take that news?” Tatsuya asked.  
  
“She was not pleased. But that was the truth,” Chizuru shrugged. “There was no hope for them. She was crestfallen. She allowed the news to ruin her.”  
  
“To ruin, her?” Goro interjected again. “How so? Depression? Gambling more?”  
  
Chizuru raised one hand and made a circular motion in the air, “She allowed herself to become tainted with negative energy. It can make you depressed. It can make you foolish. It can make you take your own life-”  
  
“She was murdered, Chizuru. I assure you,” Tatsuya cut her off. Goro was watching the woman, who was staring at him. Again with suicide. He knew Tatsuya was right, there was no way Yoshishita could have killed herself. Her body had been drained of blood. That requires another person. He felt his hand tighten around his suitcase handle as he turned his head to break their eye contact.

‘She hadn’t killed herself,’ Goro retreated into his own thoughts. ‘That process requires another person. Persons more than likely. Being a gambler it could have been over a debt. If not for the golden butterfly I’d even consider that she wasn’t connected to the rest… Maybe she asked someone to help her do it? But why so elaborate? It had to be murder…’ he tapped his chin in idle thought as his mind wondered. ‘It had to be a murder. She did everything with her left hand why shoot herself with her right?’  
  
Next to him, Tatsuya’s phone rang. The sound snapped him out of his wandering thoughts. He’d gotten distracted. The older detective took out his phone and raised it up to his ear. The faint sound of a woman’s voice came through before he ended the call. He took a step towards Goro and put a hand on his shoulder to speak to him.  “Keep talking to her, when you’re done come down to the second floor to ‘Venus’s’ room.”  
  
Tatsuya let go of him before turning to Chizuru to tell her that Goro would be finishing the interview. She didn’t seem to mind, cheerfully telling him farewell.  
  
“I’m sure you’ll cloud my day again in the near future, Detective.”  
  
“You can count on it.”


	13. Purple, Dragon, Shadow, Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guess what... The last chapter and this chapter used to be one. Even this one I considered splitting up. Oh well, let's continue this sad train.
> 
>  
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

Tatsuya left Goro alone with Chizuru. He just left. Why? What had the phone call been about? He had no idea what to ask this woman. Did he want him to continue this line of questioning? He hadn’t been briefed on her at all…  
  
The young detective watched his senior exit the room. He did know, however, that this woman had connections to Councilmen Sudou and Dr. Sawada.  
  
“You seem a bit on edge, Akechi-san,” Chizuru now stood up from her seat and moved across the room. “Do you not conduct interviews on your own?”  
  
“On the contrary,” he turned to watch her. The woman approached a small fridge on the side of the room and opened it up to retrieve a bottle of water. “I’ve interviewed many people of interest and suspects, I’m just curious.”  
  
“Curious?” she closed the fridge and then turned, leaning one hand on it. “About what, might I ask?”  
  
“Ishigami-san-”  
  
“Please, you may call me Chizuru.”  
  
“Chizuru-san, did Yoshishita ever talk to you about getting help for her gambling? I know you said she never asked you directly… but she was getting help. From Dr. Sawada of Hiiragi Therapy. Did you know that?”  
  
The woman uncapped her bottle and took a few sips, “I did not.”  
  
“Do you know Dr. Sawada?”  
  
“Not, personally,” She smiled as she answered.  
  
She smiled as she lied to him.  
  
“I see,” Goro nodded to her, returning the gesture. Yoshishita was seeing Jinnosuke and Chizuru, and the woman was denying knowing him personally. Of course, she couldn’t have known that he knew that. Did Tatsuya know he could sort out her lies? Maybe he did bring Goro here to be more than a prop.  
  
“How does your fortune telling work?” he set his suitcase down on the table to open it and pull out a pad to write on. If he was going to interview her, he was going to keep a record of all her answers. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Wang Long before coming to Sumaru City.”  
  
“Curious to have your fortune told, are you?” She now walked over to him, to stand on the other side of the table.  
  
“No,” Goro was already writing down her claim she didn’t know the doctor, “I’m curious about how it benefited a gambling addict like the victim. Fortune telling is at best vague and generally applied. There is no definitive outlook so that anyone can apply it to themselves and feel it came true. It’s a trick of your perception, like taking a placebo.”  
  
“Ha!” Chizuru laughed putting one hand to her chest, “You are not wrong. But Wang Long is more accurate than that. Yoshishita came to me because I can read the signs the guardian dragons leave for us humans. I could tell her precisely how her fortunes would fall. I can do the same for you.”  
  
“Guardian Dragons?” Goro didn’t look up at her as wrote, asking with his eyes cast down.  
  
“There are twelve Dragons that guard this world, each associated with a month. They bestow their gifts to those born within their months and generate synergy with each other. Or in some cases repel each other.” Chizuru set her bottle down and reached out to grab the end of Goro’s pad so he had to look at her. “And then there is the thirteenth Dragon. The bringer of Kegare, the Joka. It taints lives with negative energy, causing people to lose their way.”  
  
“Kegare? Joka?” Goro had to hold back a sneer, it sounded like nonsense to him.  
  
“It’s very dangerous, I assure detective… Before she went missing I warned Yoshishita-san that her Dragon was showing signs of the Joka. Her life would be filled with negative energy that would only invite chaos and danger. I wanted to help her, but she did not take it. Perhaps that is why she sought Sawada-san. She thought the Kegare could be expelled through normal medicine. But nothing mortal men can do would help her.”  
  
At this point, Chizuru was holding Goro’s gaze. Everything she said didn’t make sense to him. He couldn’t recall Yoshishita talking about fortunes or ‘Kegare’ in her journals. But maybe being scared something ‘bad’ was going to happen did push her to therapy?  
  
“And how would you remove this ‘negative energy’ from her life; if you had no interest in helping her cease her gambling?”  
  
The woman let go of his pad and turned to her dressing station. She picked up a golden statue of a Chinese dragon curling around itself into a pillar and turned to set it down next to his suitcase.  
  
“This scared dragon will absorb the Kegare that builds up in your soul. Praying it to it every day is the only way to remove the negative energy inflicted by Joka.”  
  
Goro pointed at it with his pen, “Yours is the only one?”  
  
“This is _only one_ of many, to my followers, I sell them. So that they can live their lives free of negative influences.”  
  
“Ah-ha,” Goro tapped the statue with the end of his pen, “So it’s a scam.”  
  
The woman chuckled at his response. She wasn’t offended, but he was unamused. “You sound just like the Detective, Akechi-san. Your mind is narrow. You only see the world of men, and cannot perceive that there are other factors to life. That is why people come to me because things are not so simple as you believe…”  
  
“I believe,” Goro folded his arms, “That there is no such thing as ‘fortunes’. Detective work, deductive reasoning, observing the facts… Those kinds of things reveal the future and uncover the truth.”  
  
“Let me prove it to you then,” Chizuru reached behind her neck and under her hair to untie the stone charm around her neck. “For you, I will give a free reading, right now.”  
  
“I don’t really wan-”  
  
“I insist,” she clutched the butterfly looking stone in her hand, “Tell me, what month were you born?”  
  
He hesitated for a moment, would it hurt to participate in this? It was trivial he supposed, “June.”  
  
“Ah, the Dragon of liberation; lively, witty, and navy in color. Perfect fit for a detective,” Chizuru took a few steps back from him.  
  
“I suppose…” Goro watched as she studied her pendant for a moment before raising it over her head. The fortune teller made a grand gesture; circling her arm around, starting above her head and rounding down to her waist and back up again. The stone figure in her hands made a chiming sound every time it completed the circle. He couldn’t help but smile at how ridiculous it all was. He was ready to laugh by the time she made a third circle, yet suddenly Chizuru stopped and gasped.  
  
She lowered her arm and clutched her wrist as if she was in pain and brought her head down. Her shoulders were visibly shaking.  
  
“Chizuru-san!” Goro reached out to grab her hands, “Are you alright? Did you strain something?”  
  
She shook her head, “N-no, no! I am quite fine… But you-” she looked up at Goro eyes wide with concern and horror, “I have never seen Joka overshadow one so much.”  
  
“W-what?” Goro helped her stand up straight, the woman shook her head.  
  
“I’ve seen it- The Joka, wrapping itself around you. In the form of- someone, someone new in your life. This person is _drenched_ in Shadow. A negative force that will only bring you to ruin.”  
  
“A, a new person?” he took a step back from her.  
  
She watched his reaction, her brow knit together and her lips pressed into a thin line. “Yes, this person you’re seeing… Distance yourself from them. They are a danger. Pure Kegare. Every moment you are with them, you are endangering yourself. Forget them! Move on! Let the Shadows of life have them, or you will not leave this city alive.”  
  
Chizuru took a deep breath and picked up her bottle of water. She sat down again and took a long drink. Goro watched her a bit confused, a bit startled. There was only one ‘new’ person in his life. And the fact that she mentioned Shadows…  
  
“…Was Yoshishita’s reading like this before she disappeared?”  
  
“No,” the woman shook her head, “Yours is much, much worse.”  
  
“I see,” Goro tossed his pad back into his case and picked it up. “I think that will be all for today, Chizuru-san.” He turned to her, “But I’ll want to talk to you again very soon.”  
  
“Of course you will,” she leaned back in her seat smiling, “It’s only natural that you’d seek my advice. If more detectives did, crimes would be solved a lot faster in this city…”  
  
“I bet,” Goro turned and made his way to the door. Upon opening it a black cat darted in and in between his legs. He watched it run in and jump into Chizuru’s lap. Its amethyst eyes gleamed as it made itself comfortable in her lap. There was no mistaking it; it too had been at the penthouse last night. “Your cat?”  
  
“Ah, yes, Shiki. I let her out to roam around, she gets restless in this room…” Chizuru stroked her cat along her back.  
  
“She has, unusual eyes.”  
  
“Beautiful, aren’t they? She’s a very rare breed.” The cat turned to stare at Goro as it purred.  
  
“Well, thank you for your time… I’ll consider your advice. Though, you should consider, it’s not wise to threaten the life of an officer of the law.” He shut the door and looked back over his shoulder. He had no reason to trust her. She blatantly lied to him. Still she pegged Akira without him offering up any prior knowledge. It’s not like he was planning on spending more time with the boy anyway…

 

 

Goro made his way down one floor to another hall of dressing rooms. Tatsuya told him to seek out a room of someone named ‘Venus’. He wasn’t familiar with the name, or who he was even looking for. So he found himself scanning every door he passed. 

As he was searching he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Perhaps Tatsuya was calling to see where he was. He pulled his phone out and felt his features scrunch into a scowl as he looked at the message on his phone.

 **Suou:** When are you done working today?  
  
Goro wondered if Akira had some sort of sixth sense for knowing _exactly_ when he was thinking about wanting nothing to do with him. The fact that he’d send him a message right now was uncanny.

 **Akechi:** I can’t see you today, Suou. Tatsuya-san has given me a lot to do.

He watched the screen expecting another stupid response from the teenager. Probably asking him about tomorrow or the next day. But it never came. Goro smiled as he put his phone back in his pocket. Perhaps Akira was finally understanding that he wanted nothing to do with him. At least there was something positive to come from this morning.  
  
He continued down the hall until he finally found Venus’ door. He noticed the door was slightly ajar as he approached to knock and from inside he heard the voice of a woman.

“Come on, Chinyan,” the woman’s voice carried through the gap. Through the crack, he could see a full body length mirror on the wall, and in its reflection see Tatsuya’s back sitting at a table and half the figure of a blond, blue-eyed woman in a white and red dress with her hair tied up in a bun on the back of her head. “I doubt he’s up to any trouble.”  
  
“I never said that he was,” Tatsuya had one elbow on the table, his hand raised and clutching his lighter. “I said that he is in trouble.”  
  
“But you don’t know it for sure,” the woman shrugged her shoulders. “You have to wait for the lab results right? And he’s not taking the stuff… So, there’s no use in worrying yourself sick about it right now-” she reached out and grabbed his shoulders, forcing Tatsuya to lean back. “If you keep stressing out like this, you’ll drop dead. And then what will Jun do? What will _I_ do for that matter!”  
  
Tatsuya closed his lighter and pointed at the woman, “It would probably inspire you to write a great song.”  
  
“Well, heartbreak songs are rather popular…” she leaned forward and planted a kiss on the detective’s forehead. “But I don’t want you breaking my heart anytime soon!”  
  
Goro knocked on the door after that and he heard Tatsuya call for him to enter. The woman stood up turning to face the door as he entered.  
  
“Ah, Akechi, how did it go?”  
  
He glanced between the two for a moment, silent before speaking. “She read me my fortune. But she also disclosed a lie to me.”  
  
“Oh?” Tatsuya sat forward and motioned for him to come in and shut the door. “What happened?”  
  
Goro set down his suitcase but looked at the woman in the room. She was standing one arm at her side, one on her hip and smiling. “Is it, alright to say this in front of civilians?”  
  
“Right, let me introduce you” Tasuya turned to his friend, “This is Lisa Silverman. She’s alright to speak in front of.”  
  
“I keep tabs on Chizuru-san for Tatsuya when she’s here at the station,” Lisa winked. “I know she’s under investigation.”  
  
“So you work for the police?”  
  
“No, no no!” Lisa put her hand to her chest, “I’m a former idol for the group Muses. Currently, I manage a new singer going by the name ‘Venus’. She just released a single last week. Tatsuya and I are old friends.”  
  
“Ah, I’ve actually heard of the Muses before…” Goro nodded. She seemed happy with that response. He had heard of them before. But never heard any of their music. “Chizuru-san told me she did not know Dr. Sawada personally… But I saw her with him last night at Councilmen Sudou’s penthouse.”  
  
“Wait!” Lisa leaned forward shocked, “You went up to the penthouse at Pleiades!”  
  
“I went up to the floor… I did not go inside. I saw her from down the hall, where the hotel workers come up to the floor. Dr. Sawada opened the door for her.”  
  
“Did you hear what they said?” Tatsuya asked.  
  
Goro held his chin thinking back to the previous night, “Just that ‘their’ plans were interfering. And he questioned why she was alone. As if someone else was supposed to be with her.”  
  
“Did you see anyone else?” Tatsuya continued to question him.  
  
“I didn’t, I tried to hear them after they shut the door, but I couldn’t hear anything.”  
  
“And you’re certain it was Chizuru you saw?”  
  
“I saw her from behind. But the voice was the same. And the cat-”  
  
“Shiki?” Lisa spoke up, “Her little cat is so cute, with just the most adorable eyes! She was just down here, I gave her a treat.”  
  
“Well, unless there’s another black cat with purple eyes in this city, the woman I saw had that same cat with her.”  
  
Tatsuya rose to his feet, “So, Chizuru is in on it…”  
  
“Are you going to take this to Shimazu?” Lisa watched him get up.  
  
“No, Akechi’s word isn’t enough. But the two of them now are intertwined with the victims. It’s not a coincidence. Hopefully, what Ulala has on the first murder will help.” Tatsuya crossed his arms, “But I would prefer to have something on the Chief too.”  
  
“On Chief Shimazu?” Goro questioned Tatsuya as the older detective started to walk past him. But he didn’t answer.  
  
“Lisa, you’ll continue to keep an eye on Chizuru for me? Tell me if anything weird comes up?”  
  
Lisa nodded, “Don’t you want to stay for the show today?”  
  
“We don’t have the time.”  
  
“What about next week?” Lisa put one hand on her hip and pointed up with the other. “You know Kurosu-san is scheduled to be a special guest on Chizuru’s show.”  
  
Tatsuya stopped and audibly sighed, “Maybe.”  
  
“How is that going, by the way?” Lisa still didn’t let him leave.  
  
Tatsuya turned around and shrugged, “Last time they didn’t start raising their voices at each other over dinner. So, I think they're finally starting to get along.”  
  
“Well, at least some things are improving. I’ll call you later, alright, Chinyan?”  
  
Lisa bid them farewell. Once they were back at the elevator Goro spoke up, “Who was the ‘them’ you two were talking about?”  
  
“My husband and his mother. They’re… complicated.” Tatsuya turned to him, “Let’s just leave it at that.”  
  
“Right…”  
  
“You’re free for the rest of the day. Continue to look into the murders. See if you can tie Chizuru to any of the others. Got it?”  
  
Goro nodded, “Yes, I understand.”

 

 

Tatsuya and Goro parted ways at the station. The three detectives he’d met that morning were still off on their own assignments, and Goro had no idea where Tatsuya was going. But he apparently wanted to go alone.  
  
He knew he was asked to look into Chizuru’s situation, however, he still wanted to look up the information he’d been given last night. The best place to start was back in the stations archives. He wondered how much of this case he was going to waste down here?  
  
As he settled into his task of picking through information he found himself occasionally checking his phone. He told himself he was just keeping track of the time; really he kept looking to see if it was going to light up again with another message from Akira. Try as he might, his mind wouldn’t ignore the fact that it was strange he gave up. If there was one thing he had learned about the boy it was that he didn’t give up.  
  
So his phone sat face up on the desk next to him, always with in glancing view.  
  
But another message never came.  
  
Instead his paranoid and expected glances were met with nothing. All he had to focus on was the information of the two dead men before him.  
  
Tatsuzou Sudou had been murdered in his own home. According to the autopsy and police reports, there had been no signs of a struggle within the home and Tatsuzou had been struck from behind. The man walked with a cane, which had been used to violently bludgeon him to death. Whomever attacked him either wanted to be _very_ through with his death, or had a huge grudge against the man.  
  
One of the detectives on the case was listed as one Katsuya Suou. Seeing the name nearly made Goro turn the archives computer off in exhaustion.  
  
“How man Suous are going to plague my life?”  
  
Katsuya was Tatsuya’s older brother. He’d worked the case the Foreign Affairs Minser’s death. The incident offered up very few leads according to the initial reports, no finger prints, no signs of home invasion. Clearly Tatsuzou was killed by someone he knew. Goro’s mind immediately went to placing the blame on the son, and apparently, if Katsuya’s notes were anything to go, he placed the blame there as well.

However during the case the then head of the Konan Police Department, Chief Togashi, came up dead as well the investigation was linked to ties with a Taiwanese Mafia group. The investigation uncovered Tatsuzou had been involved with using them to control political opponents and allowed them to run a crime ring in Sumaru City using a local club called Zodiac as one of their bases of operation for everything from gambling to trafficking.  
  
The last information on the case of note was that Katsuya was promoted to captain for his work on the case, but transferred out to Mikage-cho by the new Chief, Shimazu.  
  
It seemed like Tatsuzou’s case was open and shut. Though Goro noted there was no mention of the New World Order cult. Hadn’t Tatsuya said he was the leader? Was his death really just some mob related vengeance…  
  
He looked at his phone again. Still nothing. He picked it up, almost angry that Akira had gone quiet. He started to text back to other teen but stopped himself.  
  
“No, no if you respond then he’ll start expecting you to spend time with him,” he set the phone down. He had to research Kashihara’s death next. Part of him would have welcomed the distraction of Akira’s foolishness. He still felt his body actively rejecting the notion of focusing on a suicide.

But he had to do it. He sought out the physical case file box and returned to the archive desk ready to get to work.  
  
But he didn’t move. It was strange, he had to force himself through the motions of opening the box and pulling out the autopsy report. There were going to be pictures. He’d looked at dead bodies all the time. He’d studied them up close and personal. He's been in morgues more often than someone his age should have. But right now his hands felt numb.

His lips did as well, and though he was swallowing every second he felt like his mouth was full of saliva. It’s just a dead body. He killed himself, instead of being murdered. He just had to not focus on the fact that he’d taken his own life.  
  
He opened the file and read over the report. The body was mangled. It was basically pieces They recovered an arm, part of the torso and legs. He’d gone in head first.  
  
Head first. Obviously. Most people that killed themselves knew that you went for the head and neck region. It was swift, you felt little to no pain. But a clock tower, really? Why not a gun.  
  
‘She never even owned a gun… Would she have even known where to buy one illegally?’ Goro flipped through the pages of the report. He had stopped reading, his hands were just turning pages. ‘I know I was a child, but I’m not crazy… She always used her left hand, the gun was in her right. Suicide… Suicide…? Maybe she asked someone to get it? To shoot her? She was miserable, I know that. I was miserable.’  
  
He reached the end of the report and closed it. As he looked up at the computer screen he realized he hadn’t read a single thing.  
  
Suicide was pointless. You’re still miserable even after you die.  
  
He pushed the files of the autopsy away and picked up his phone again. It was close to lunch time. Still no return text. Goro held his phone in one hand as he started in on the computer files. He couldn’t help but note his reflection on the screen. He looked tired. His expression was empty, he even felt his hair was drooping a bit more than usual. His eyes were glazing over form thinking to much and sleeping too little.  
  
Miserable.  
  
Her hair fell in a similar fashion, but it had a bit of curl to it. Longer obviously. And she had a better smile than he did, but her eyes were always empty. And when she yelled it was twice as loud as any noise he’d ever heard. And when she scowled her face could contort into horrible features. But her eyes were always miserable.  
  
Did she ever smile honestly? Even once?  
  
_‘That woman made him miserable. Married to her he never smiled.’_

Goro’s attention came back to the text on the screen he was casually scrolling over. The words that caught his eye were from an interview with a fellow teacher at Seven Sisters High School.

_‘I would have made a better wife for him. I understood him. She never did.’_

He looked over the words taking them in and going back to the top to get the name of the woman who said them: Maya Okamura. He’d read that name before in the seedy tabloids about Kashihara. Was this the woman his wife accused him of cheating with?  
  
Perhaps he’d look her up. There was no mention of the cult in Kashihara’s death as well. But perhaps a living person would work as a better lead.  
  
Just as he was cleaning up another officer came into the archives looking for him, telling him the Chief wanted to see him.  
  
Because today couldn’t possibly get better…

 

 

Goro found himself standing before the Chief again, doing his best to smile as the weasely man peered down at him.  
  
“So I heard you went out on assignment with Detective Suou this morning,” he folded his hands together smiling. “I hope you came back with something good.”  
  
Goro only continued to smile, “I did not get to spend a great deal of time with him. We went to the Sumaru Television station to interview Ishigami-san-”  
  
“The fortuneteller? Why!?” Goro noted the Chief seemed outraged by this news.  
  
“She has a connection to one of the victims. And to Dr. Sawada. I agree with Detective Suou it was worth checking in with her to go over her statements.”  
  
The chief sat up, “What do you mean she has a connection to Dr. Sawada?” His expression had changed, he seemed to be peering at Goro as if something unexpected had just occurred. Like he grew a second head, or started speaking in tongues.  
  
Goro hesitated for a moment, the atmosphere of their conversation was changing. “I saw them together, they both new the victims. I think it’s too uncanny a coincide-”  
  
“Where did you see them together!?” the man’s tone was demanding. He slamed his hands down on his desk.  
  
He could tell him the truth.  
  
“At Hiiragi Therapy,” Goro didn’t flinch. The answer rolled off his tongue without missing a beat.  
  
“I see…” Chief Shimazi’s lips twisted as he refolded his hands. “Did you inform Suou of this?”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
“And,” the man’s shoulders pulled back tense as he continued, “What else did you uncover there? What else did you share with him?”  
  
“Just that. There wasn’t much time to talk to her, she was preparing for a show. And Detective Suou separated from him to see a woman, Lisa Silverman I believe was her name.”  
  
“Ah?” at the name Shimazu’s expression changed once again. He smiled; the sudden cheerful expression was unsettling. “I understand… He took you along to make it appear that he was working, while he’s fooling around with a mistress.”  
  
“Mistress?” Goro shook his head, “She didn’t strike me as anything of the type. Just a friend that he stopped in to see.”  
  
“Is that what they told you?” The man chuckled, “You children are so naive. Silverman is a former idol, a beautiful woman… And Suou’s ex. They’re often seen together around town. Its shameless really.” He shook his head before pointing at Goro. “Whatever so-called leads he’s having you chase down in regard to Ishigami-san, drop them. I’m afraid you were just a cover, Akechi-san. As I told you before you can’t trust Detective Suou. He has his own agenda in mind. You can’t trust a man that cheats on his family. Don’t you agree?”  
  
Goro watched the man’s expression. Was he telling the truth? She did seem very friendly with Tatsuya… But this was also the second time he was told to drop a lead. Not to mention how tense he was a moment ago.  
  
“You’re right,” Goro said with a flawless smile, “It’s really, rather disgusting to put my trust in someone who is clearly lying to me.”

 

 

Goro left the Chief’s office in a fowl mood.  
  
Adults were relentlessly horrible. Wasting time lying about each other, lying to him, ridiculing him, brushing him aside, thinking they’ll play him or use him for their own exploits.

Miserable.  
  
He pulled out his phone and looked at the time. Past noon now… He’d get something to eat. Maybe he’d just go back to the hotel for the afternoon and sleep. There was no point in working. No one wanted this case solved. But he couldn’t tell Sae that. That he’d given up so early…  
  
Why did he even want to stop? Hadn’t he always solved a case? But no case ever made him feel this way.  
  
Goro stepped outside the station and took a deep breath. No, he couldn’t give up. Tatsuya, Shimazu, no one else mattered. What mattered was the truth.  
  
What mattered was that someone was preying upon the people of Sumaru City; exploiting their weaknesses and taking their lives. That mattered. That’s what he was here for. He was going to solve this.  
  
“Hiiragi therapy is where I’ll go next, I told Sawada-san I’d be back after all.”  
  
Akechi started walking away from the station doors when they flew open and Tatsuya came out like a bat out of hell. He nearly ran Akechi over on his way to the parking lot. The teen had the forethought to jump out of his way, the only thing that saved him.  
  
“Suou-san! Where are you going!?”  
  
“I can’t talk right now,” he spoke as he rushed by, “I have to get to Hiiragi Therapy.”  
  
“Ah-!” Goro turned to follow after him. “That’s actually where I’m going. Perhaps I can get ride?”  
  
Tatsuya glanced back at him, “I’m taking my motorcycle.”  
  
Goro’s lips twitched for a moment but he nodded, “I’ll still ride along.”

  
  
  
By the time the two reached Hiiragi Therapy Goro understood _why_ Akira rode his delivery bike like a maniac. He thought riding with an adult would be safe. He thought riding with a police officer would be safe. True they didn’t crash, and yes Tatsuya stopped at every red light. But in between lights Goro discovered there was no such thing as a speed limit or breaks for Tatsuya Suou.  
  
When he got off the bike he was thankful that he’d eaten nothing that day. Though he was certain he was trying to throw up his heart.  
  
Tatsuya got off the bike and didn’t even look back at him. He man was in a hurry. Once Goro steadied himself he followed him inside.  
  
In the lobby he saw Tatsuya talking to Dr. Sonomura; the woman ushered him inside her office. Of course, Goro followed because he had to know what was so important now. He figured he’d have to listen outside the door, but to his surprise the woman held the door open for him as he approached.  
  
“-So he just bolted?” Tatsuya stood in the office with his arms crossed.  
  
The doctor closed the door and nodded, “I urged him to stay, but- that’s why I called you. Were you able to reach him?”  
  
“He hung up on me,” Tatsuya lowered his head scowling. Goro stayed against the door watching the two. “…Are you sure it’s getting worse?” Tatsuya didn’t lift his head as he asked the question. His voice was almost wavering, and soft. It was the first time Goro had heard him sound anything less than confident.

“He said he ‘touched’ it,” Maki walked around to stand in front of him. “Despite everything, Akira has never had these manifestations so real that he felt he physically touched them. His hallucinations have been auditory and visual, but he was _convinced_ Tatsuya. He told me it was real.”  
  
The detective let out a frustrated groan, “Why did he run then!? How does he expect us to help if he keeps taking off?”  
  
Maki tapped her lip, “Paranoia is often a symptom of psychosis. Even if it’s completely irrational, his ability to trust us is fractured. If Akira’s is getting worse, then it stands to reason so will his paranoia, and so his trust in us is lower than ever… Tatsuya try as I might he’s convinced that talking to you he’s going to end up in Morimoto. It’s all he said when he was here. That he wasn’t going to go. That he’ll ‘die’ before he goes.”  
  
Goro watched the detective rub his forehead. He didn’t say anything, he just made a sound out of annoyance. It reminded him of his first night here, like an engine grinding on a motorcycle.  
  
“Okay,” he stopped making the noise, “So what do you suggest.”  
  
“Well, first find him… And then,” Maki walked away from Tatsuya over to her desk and pulled out a piece of paper. “You need to get him grounded, if he’s still having the episode. Specifically, Tatsuya, you two need to focus on restoring confidence in each other.”  
  
“And just how do you suggest we do that?” Tatsuya fished his lighter out of his pocket flicking the lid up.  
  
Maki looked up at him, “Well, you could give him that.” Tatsuya stopped. “It’s part of you. Jun gave him his watch… And you say he talks to Jun more. It’s a vote of confidence. To Akira those little things we hang onto are how he learns to trust people. To think of them as being someone that’s really part of his world. His original parents never gave him anything. They deliberately isolated him. The shadows, the distrust, screates, its all part of that... That’s why we encouraged him to collect things from people he valued to begin with. To help him get over it, right?”  
  
Tatsuya sighed, but agreed, “Yes, I know. But that’s also why he started stealing things…”  
  
Maki scribbled down on the paper before moving from her desk to give it to Tatsuya. “Take this as well.”  
  
“…An anxiety prescription… For the cat!?”  
  
“You know I can’t legally write your son a prescription,” Maki beamed. “But! Did you know that veterinarians prescribe the exact same anxiety medications that we take to dogs and cats who suffer from separation anxiety? It’s just in lower dosages. Much lower. Tell Akira to take three throughout the day. That should help… I can’t give him anything for the hallucinations, but they're rooted in anxiety. Tell him to take those, it should help…But the most help has to come from you.”  
  
“Right, he folded the paper and stuck it in his pocket.”  
  
Maki turned to Goro, “And Akechi-san?”  
  
“A-ah, yes?” Goro spoke, he was surprised she spoke to him. In away he’d figured they forgotten he was there. He almost forgot he was there.  
  
“Akira talks to you… So, if you hear from him, tell Tatsuya right away. Right now we have no idea where’s gone. It would be very helpful.”  
  
“I’ll tell Jun to give all his friends a call. He’ll contact one of them eventually.”  
  
Tatsuya and Goro left Maki’s office. The older detective was once again wearing his definitive stern expression. Goro followed him out to his bike silently. He watched him get on before speaking up.  
  
“Tatsuya-san,” he waited while the man turned to look at him. “I- I know it’s not my place, but if I might-”  
  
“You’re right,” Tatsuya stopped him, “It’s not your place… If Akira contacts you, contact me. But don’t interfere beyond that.” With that Tatsuya put on his helmet and backed out of the his parking spot. He was gone in an instant.  
  
Goro pulled out his phone, still nothing.  
  
**Akechi:** Akira. When you get this, contact me.  
  
He hesitated, looking at the message. All he had to do was hit send and it would fix so many problems from today. He closed the messaging app and didn’t bother. Akira wasn’t his problem. He was supposed to stay away from him anyway.  
  
  


 

Goro returned to his hotel. The day was broken. A brief lunch and a shower later, he’d passed out on his bed form sheer mental exhaustion. Right on top of the covers. And though he slept for hours, he didn’t sleep peacefully. He dreamed about the case, about laughter creeping up from the shadows. Black shapes plaguing him with their sneers and their smiles and pointing guns at him.  
  
And his mother’s miserable face dripping in blood always turning away from him, telling him that it was indeed better to die than look at him. Why did he have to find her like that? Why couldn’t a neighbor have found her? Why couldn’t life be different?  
  
Why did he have to be the one everyone hated?

When he woke up he hadn’t felt like he slept at all. It was dark outside, there wasn’t a shred of light in his room. He reached up and groped around to find the lamp and turn it on. As the light flooded his eyes he groaned. It’d been a long time since he dreamed about his mother. Guess that meant the wouldn’t be sleeping for while.  
  
He got up from the bed and considered working, but instead picked up the remote next to the TV in the room and turned it on. There was a rerun on of today’s fortune telling show on; it was right at the end.  
  
Chizuru was on the screen doing that ridiculous motion of swinging her pendant around before giving a prediction for a member of the audience. It was favorable. They seemed to cheer and were quite relieved. The host asked Chizuru if she had any closing statements for those watching.  
  
The woman stood up and warned the audience that the best thing they could do was remove Kegare from their lives. That those tainted by it were doomed to ruin. She made a sad expression as the camera zoomed in. The fortune teller spoke of a young man she met earlier that intertwined his life with one who had the Joka clouding their own life. That she warned him he was doomed if he did not separate this toxic person from him. And she lamented how he refused to believe her.  
  
She raised her head and spoke with confidence, that she urged all her followers to never let such influences pollute their lives. To not be like this troubled youth and expelled the Kegare they’d gathered within themselves by, of course, buying one of her sacred dragons.  
  
At the end of the show, there was a number to call, and an announcer's voice giving some shill story about how the dragons were made of a ancient sacred gold, blessed priest and purified in the fires of a holy temple.  
  
Goro turned off the TV scowling. She used his story to bolster her scam product.  
  
He walked back over to his bed and picked up his phone. Still nothing. He was almost annoyed at this point, though he knew something was wrong with Akira. Still, he’d just given up? Was he just going to give up like everyone else? Let his misery consume him?  
  
**Akechi:** You bother me for days and then give up? I don’t accept that. You’re far more annoying and persistent than that.  
  
He sent that one. Perhaps out of anger, not so much anger at Akira but at everyone else. Before he could put his phone down it buzzed in his hands.  
  
**Suou:** That’s a weird way of saying you want to go out again, but I’m game.  
  
His jaw dropped. He responded! Not only that he responded with is usual attitude. Goro could practically see Akira’s shit eating grin on the other side of the screen.  
  
**Akechi:** So, you’re not dead. Good. I was starting to wonder what happened to you.  
  
**Suou:** Considered dying. It’s tempting really. But I’ve got to work off this phone debt Dad’s imposed on me.  
  
**Akechi:** Phone debt?  
  
**Suou:** It’s a long story. I can tell you tomorrow at the park. Same time?  
  
**Akechi:** I’ll see you tomorrow then.  
  
**Suou:** It’s a date.  
  
Goro rolled his eyes. It was not a date. He huffed. At least Akira seemed to be doing better. Not that it was any of his concern. He fell back onto his bed and closed his eyes. It was his problem that he was actually looking forward to seeing him tomorrow. Of everyone he’d met here, Akira was happy to have him around.  
  
There was no denying that. Miserable as they were they could be miserable together.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goro's solo chapters as so long. I'm constantly worried the info overload will drive you all off, but so far everyone seems to enjoy piecing this mystery together along with him... Still, is this too long? Maybe I should have made this three chapters?
> 
> I PROMISE I'M GOING TO STOP MAKING BOYS SAD SOON.
> 
> But not the next chapter. It's back to Akira, and then- Then I will give you all something to be happy about.


	14. King Leo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay okay, here the sad train ends. Sort of. For now. But you'll still probably leave here with more questions than answers! This chapter is also written a little, experimental in parts. The intention is to be a jumbled mess so.... I hope I did good!
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

**_Hes banging on the door again_ **

Akira could hear it. The infuriating sound of metal scraping and clanging together echoed in his ears. It was accompanied by the sound of Morgana letting out a low growl, as if warning whatever was making the noise to stay away.

**_Is the door stuck                                                                                                               Maybe its her  
                It has to be stuck again                                 I didnt eat enough last time  
Maybe hell give up                         But Im kind of hungry    What day is it          Is it still yesterday       Dont open the door today please    Hes always upset                                                        No she never bangs                                                                        Give up_ **

  
He opened his eyes to darkness.  
  
Right, he’d fallen asleep. He couldn’t see a thing. Darkness stretched out before him as his eyes tried to make sense of the room. Usually had had some sense of baring of where things where, of what was going on. But he couldn’t make heads or tails of anything right now.  
  
It all looked the same, one massive plain of darkness stretching out in front of him.

**_Get up                  Tell him to leave              I just saw her so it’s probably him  
                Its here                                                                 No no no no she never bangs                     Its so loud today_ **

**_Its not her                                        The door is going to break_ **

**_Did I even see the sun today_ **

What time was it? What day was it? He remained on his side listening to the banging. Which one of them was that? His mind plucked an answer out of his memory.

**_Dont move if you dont move you’ll blend right in you fade away when the light hits the shadows dont move_ **

  
When was the last time they came to get him? There’s no time up here in the attic. Just the infinite plane of darkness, speckled with the few hours sunlight comes in through that one window.

                                                                                                                                                **_Its making them angry_**  
  
He pushed himself to sit up, the banging sound was getting louder. He swore the darkness shook the louder it got.  
  
That’s certainly not his mother, she never rattles the door that much. Just creaks it open and leaves something for him to eat, or tells him he can come down stairs for a few hours. **_Its not her_**  
  
**_Hes going to open it_** Bits of the Shadows rose up in the air around his head vibrating; banging together with every clang, making the sound louder and louder. Akira pushed up his glasses and rubbed his eyes, he looked again. The sound at the metal door grew violent, as if whomever was trying to force it open was going increasingly frustrated. As he stood something moved at his feet, when he reached down the darkness lashed out.

 ** _Go away_**  
  
As angry as the person at the door, it swiped at his hand, curing around like a long tentacle. **_Go away_** Writhing and lashing and curling around his legs trying to make its way up to choke him. It wasn’t just one, it was the entire floor. Every Shadow in the room reacting to being disturbed by the door was attacking him.

 ** _Just melt away                 Its getting louder             Hes coming in_**  
  
For a moment he froze, unsure of what to do. The sight was suffocating, **_Don’t move_** the things were getting higher, bigger. They were eating up all the air in the room; he had to struggle just to get enough air for himself. **_This is it_**  
  
Akira turned back to the couch grouping about his phone, swatting his hand at the bits of Shadow that tried to stop him. They burst apart as his hand made contact with him. They were never really there, but if he didn’t fight back against them they’d hold him down and he could never move again. **_Don’t move just melt_** Once he found his phone he turned the light on and pointed it down.  
  
It helped, somewhat. At least around his feet. The Shadows melted, but they were still there, just beyond the light. Waiting. He held the flashlight up turning it around, his thoughts started piecing themselves back together.

**_Make him stop Answer him Hes not leaving Dont move_ **

He was in the Sumaru Prison basement. He wasn’t at home. But it’s the same darkness as there. Lonely and stretching on forever, and filled with monsters. The light fell on Morgana; he was sitting on a box watching Akira.

**_Hes not giving up             Morgana             Maybe you should hide   Don’t come in                 Leave already  
          So upset        Im dying today                              Dont move   Get Morgana  
                                                                       Dont let them get Morgana  
                                                                                                                                I didnt do anything_ **

  
“You could have woken me up…” he sighed at the cat. Akira carefully made his way over to him, using his phone’s light to watch his step. Tentatively stepping over deadly things that weren’t there. If Morgana wasn’t here he’d probably be unable to move. He was already finding it difficult to breathe. Difficult to think about the here and now. He’d probably sit on the couch trying to fight off Shadows until his battery died. Until the door burst open. But Morgana needed him. He could never leave him, try as he might. And in turn Morgana would never leave him either.

 ** _Morgana_**  
  
Akira scooped up the cat and slipped him into his bag just as the door let out one final bang.

                                                                                                             ** _Hes in_**  
  
He looked up to see it had finally been forced open. The sudden sound stopped his heart and made him jerk his head up. Light poured in around the sides of a figure standing in the doorway overhead. Their profile was cast in shadow and for a moment he knew it. It was his father’s profile exactly. The light poured in from around his sides. He was just a black figure, blending in with the shadows he cast along the attic floor. It made his arms and legs look longer than they were. It made them look inhuman. Like the long arms of an octopus; as he walked the extensions of darkness crawled out over the room, over his face, until they reached him until the choked him.

The person started to move, stepping into the prison basement.

**_Thats not him_ **

**_That’s not her_ **

**_The Lion_ **

  
Their figure was tall, a long coat, something wrapped around their neck looked bloody red with what light was cast on it. And their hair, so much blond hair, like a mane, and a smooth face and black eyes.

 

**_The Lion               Hes here for you  
                Hes inside                                           One of the Shadows  
                                                                                                                                Hes not real  
                                                                Youre not real_ **

  
He quickly turned off his phone light, thought he was sure they saw him. He crouched down next to the boxes and Morgana growled. The sound of the intruder’s footsteps echoed on the metal staircase as they slowly descended. The sound still agitating the tendrils on the ground. Without his light they were crawling on Akira again. Wrapping around his arms, touching his face, grabbing his neck. **_Lion is closer_** **_Dont move_**  
  
He was going to die here. **_Dont move_**  
  
As soon as he heard them step off the stairs he started to crawl. It was all he could do. Maybe if he kept moving he could get up the stairs and up to the light. But it was harder to breath lower the floor, and his heart was banging like the echoing door, drawing every moving Shadow towards him. He stopped at the edge of a box and looked around the side.

 ** _Hes there            He sees you                                                                                        Just melt  
          Hes inside                           Move move now                           The Lion isnt real_**  
  
He could see the intruder standing a few feet away, **_Move_** just a few crates between them. They were turning their head around looking… Looking for him. Akira could vaguely see their face in the darkness, **_Hes here for you_** or their lack of face rather. Or maybe he saw it in his memory.  
**_The Lion_**  
Th smooth white texture, the black eyes, the gold trim, the gaping jaw, the wild blond hair.  
                                                 **_The Lion is real_**  
“The Lion…” Akira pulled back around the box muttering to himself. “The Lion isn’t real…” **_Is_** Morgana shifted in his bag, he’d gone quiet, knowing not to draw attention to his master. ** _Theyre so upset_** “The Shadows aren’t real…” ** _Hes here for you_**  
            **_Get away                                                               Theyre not going away_**  
He looked up at the open door, “That’s real. I have to leave… I have to leave here.”  
                                                                                                                          **_Theyre never coming back_**  
Akira started to crawl again, every inch bringing him closer to the illusion standing near the stairs. **_He sees you_** He could crawl behind him, using the boxes, only wanting to make himself visible once he stood. But he was running out of air. **_Youre going to die here_** He’d started gasping for it through his mouth and occasional stopped moving to bat away the Shadows **_Away_** that tried to force themselves into his open lips, breaking them apart and allowing himself to **_Go_** move.  
  
He stopped when he heard the Lion walking around again. He was moving closer.  
  
**_The Lion is here for you_** He was going to find him.  
  
He was going to drown here on the floor. **_Hes always upset_**  
  
Akira stood up gasping for air. The moment he did he turned his head to see that same smoothed face just on the other side of the crate. Akira was right next to the stairs, he could easily run. But he didn’t. He watched as the Shadow walked around to stand in front of him. Every step he took made the Shadows in the basement shake. The writing mass on the floor seemed to part for him; he was one with it. The Shadows and the Lion moved as one, inching toward him until they were face to face.

 ** _The Lion has come for you_** Akira felt like he towered over him, he stood so high the shadows rising up from the floor couldn’t grab him. Not that they tried. They were all one horrible black mass together, eating up all the air in the room.  
  
The lack of air was making him dizzy.  
  
He was going to die here. This time his Shadows were going to kill him. Absently he felt that maybe he deserved that.  
  
“Y-you,” he opened his mouth, “You’re not real.” The Lion didn’t move. “You’re just- a Shadow. Akira raised hands, “You’re not real- so just go away!” He shoved his palms forward, expecting to push through the Lion as he did everything else. To watch it melt, to see it break apart like every other fake person or thing he’d ever seen.  
  
The Lion didn’t move. **_No_** The push barely nudged him. Akira’s hands stayed, **_No No No_** pressed against the fabric of a black coat. **_No No_** He curled his fingers, feeling his nails drag against the material. The very real fabric.  
  
It was real. The Lion was real. **_And hes here for you_**  
**_The Lion Hes Upset Run Upset The Lion No No Move I didnt do anything He sees you Hes coming Hes the Lion Upset inside Dont Move_**  
Suddenly the intruder grabbed his wrist with a gloved hand and Akira let out a shout. And the Lion laughed.  
_**Run away Inside Shes gone Never coming The Lion No one is upset Hes gone Away Move Shes run away from The Lion**  
“What do you think you’re doing?”_ The voice rang in his ears. It was dripping poisonous laughter.  
**_Run away from the Lion Run Get Go Away Youre never Real coming back Hell never be Upset The banging is inside No Lion No No No No_**  
He pulled back swinging his other hand and the Lion let go. **_Run_** He fell backwards right into a massive of Shadows squirming on the floor. The curled around him, trying to hold him down. **_Get up Get Morgana Away Run Now_**  
**_Now Go Melt Melt away Dont move Just the Lion Melt away Banging inside the Melting Lion_**  
“Get away!” Akira kicked out his legs and swung his arms. **_Faster_** The Lion was reaching out for him, but he didn’t stop flailing. Once he was free of the Shadows on the ground he rolled over and picked himself up and started to run. He ran around the crates circling around the imposing figure to get behind him and run up the stairs.  
**_Hes real he came here Just for you She never came back That shadow is after you Get away Run away This is the end Hes so upset Don’t open the door Leave I didn’t do anything Just melt Don’t come back Stop Stop Stop Stop No_**  
At the top off the stairs Akira looked down to see the Lion watching him. Just watching him.

 ** _The Lion is real Hes not going to stop_**  
  
Akira jerked away from the sight and ran through the door. He ran as fast as he could. That was real, that had been real! It was all he repeated to himself the entire time he ran out of the prison. He was real!  
  
**_Hell be back He always come back_**  
  
Akira was so wrapped up in his thoughts as he ran from the prison yard that he stumbled into a black car parked next to the broken fence. The windows were completely tinted; it was impossible to see inside. He leaned against the car for a second gasping for air.  
  
He looked over his shoulder, but didn’t see the Lion. He did see the crawling darkness of the Shadows following him. They were coming slowly, inhibited by the light of day. But still coming, creeping behind his every step to drag him back.  
  
**_Keep running  
_**  
He slowly backed away from the fence, and opened his bag to check on Morgana. The cat looked up at him wide eyed and meowed. He was concerned for him, clearly upset by all the running around and screaming. He raised his head still letting out soft meows as he pawed at Akira.  
  
**_Morgana will always be here They are gone_**  
  
“I’m- I’m okay…. We made it out,” He pet his cat’s head as he started to walk. “We- I- I need to see Maki-san.” Akira continued to pet the cat as he walked back to Kasugayama’s campus. He needed to get his bike, and he needed to go to Hiiragi Therapy. He’d _never_ had that happened before. The Shadows always broke apart. They were persistent, and never ending, and constantly changing shape. But if he touched them, the dissolved into nothing. It was always how it was.

 ** _No one is coming_**  
  
“Why, why didn’t he break apart…” Akira took off his glasses to rub his eyes. He’d seen the Lion before, but not like this. He’d seen him after he’d taken his medications, or in his dreams… He wasn’t dreaming now was he?  
  
“No, not dreaming…” Akira stopped at the bike rack in front of the school. The front wheel of his bike had been damaged. Completely bent and twisted. A gift from Takagawa and his goons more than likely. Akira sighed, “This reality is too shitty for me to be dreaming…” he unlocked his bike and grumbled as he pushed it down the street.  
  
Morgana started growling again in his bag, as they walked Akira reached down to stroke his head, trying to calm him down. But Morgana persisted. The cat’s gaze was focused behind them and on the black car driving down the street and out of sight.

  
  
  
Akira pushed his bike through the streets of the city with a slight scowl on his face. The sun was shining, and the sea breeze was blowing in, filling the air with a salty smell. But as far as he was concerned every but of it was barely recognizable. The city streets were going by him in a blur of grey and black. Even at his slow place, his brain didn’t register Sumaru City as the place around him. The Shadows from the prison basement were crawling along his every step, just out of reach, just out of his peripheral vision. Trailing behind and around him devouring the city form sight. Despite the sunlight and the fresh air blowing over his face; despite the brilliant sea coming into view as he made his way to the Seaside Strip Mall, with the light reflecting off the rolling waves, all his brain could focus on was the shadow creeping behind him.  
  
**_Hes coming_**  
  
The rest of the world may as well have not even been there.  
  
How he walked to the mall, what streets he took, how long he’d been walking he couldn’t tell. His sense didn’t process it.  
  
The cars driving around may as well have been empty, looking at them passing by he saw blurs of color and shadowy faces behind the glass.  
  
The people he passed on the street all bled together. A man, a woman, a child, two men merged into one, three women were one tall inky mass of three rotating faces all clucking together. Crowds moved on two feet, large black, barely human hunks with faces over their backs and arms and shoulders.  
  
And the faces… Smooth clean faces. White featureless, like stone mask. A ring of gold around the edges, and black holes for eyes and mouths. They just pass by him, they’re harmless.  
  
Not like the things in the basement, or the attic. Not the suffocating, agitated tendrils belonging to a mad and angry presence trying to drag him down. Not the persistent, stalking, laughing Lion.

 ** _How long      Hell be back      He always comes back_**  
  
These shadows don’t matter, they fade away at a touch. In a way he feels at home surrounded by them, surrounded by things that don’t matter. That don’t exist. Some part of him wants to join them, but at the same time he knows, to do so would mean giving into that crawling presence ever on his heels.  
  
Finally Akira stopped in front of Hiiragi Therapy. He let out a slight sigh of relief. Maki was a real person he could talk to. She never appeared to be a Shadow; always had her own face and bright smile. He didn’t bother to chain up his bike, who would steal it as it is anyway?  
  
He opened the door and scanned the artificial looking garden, making sure he didn’t see Dr. Sawada in sight before walking up the desk and asking if Maki was available. The receptionist told him she was with a patient, but he could sit and wait. He plopped down on one of the waiting room chair and pulled his bag into his lap so he could pet Morgana’s head.  
  
The feline offered up his skull with a few content purrs.  
  
Akira absent mindedly stroked the cat until he heard Maki’s voice from an open door. She was seeing off an older woman when her eyes fell on him.  
  
“Akira!” Maki walked over and inspected her watch, “Its nearly lunch time, shouldn’t you be in school?” She looked back at him and frowned. Whether Akira knew it or not he was covered in dust and a bit of dirt from the old couch and crawling around on the prison floor. “Akira… Did something happen?”  
  
“I- Well-” he started to talk, but stopped as the door to Dr. Sawada’s office opened. The man had impeccable timing.  
  
He had his cellphone in his hands and was hanging up a call as he walked out of his office and came right over to Akira and Maki. “Well then, what’s this? Akira, are you in need of assistance?” The man folded his arms, “I’m free at the moment, why don’t you step inside-”  
  
“No,” Akira cut him off. He glanced up at him with his eyes, but didn’t move his head. “I just, came to have lunch with Maki-san.”  
  
“Just lunch?” Jinnosuke leaned down to force Akira to look him in the eye, “You look like a disaster, boy. You clearly came here because you need something.”  
  
“I fell off my bike,” he glared at him. The longer he stared at the man the more he swore he saw the black tentacles from the basement rising up out of his back and out of his head. Looking into his eyes, he saw his own angry reflection; his own fearful reflection. “A car nearly hit me, I dented my wheel and fell.”  
  
“Akira!” Maki leaned down putting a hand on his shoulder, “Are you alright, maybe we should go to the hospital.”  
  
“…I’m fine, I didn’t want to miss our lunch,” He turned to her, hoping she’d understand. “You promised we’d eat together today. It’s been a while.”  
  
“Right! I did, but still- I want you to go to the school nurse afterward, alright?”  
  
“Yeah, sure,” Akira got to his feet and nodded, “Anyway I’m ready to go.” He dusted himself off and looked back at Jinnosuke. “Thanks for nothing.”  
  
Maki cleared her throat, “Thank you for your consideration, Sawada-san. But we’re just going to lunch.” She smiled at him before ushering Akira away and out the door with her.  
  
Outside Akira grabbed his busted bike again and turned to her with a simple ‘thank you’.  
  
Maki put a hand on his back and motioned down the strip mall, “You’re going to tell me everything.”  
  
“Okay… But can we actually get lunch. I’m kind of hungry. All this running really wore me out.”  
  
“Running…? Sure, we’ll eat at the Jolly Roger.”

  
  
The Jolly Roger was not really where Akira wanted to eat. He’d have preferred the Big Bang Burger that was just added to the mall. However, Maki wanted seafood, and so the quaint little pirate themed restaurant was their destination. The staff dressed up like pirates, even the manager got into the act with his bushy short brown hair and equally as flared out mustache.  
  
His former therapist ordered herself the ‘Pirate Special’, a hot basked of fried octopus and oysters. Akira just ordered the seafood curry. For the first few minutes of their meal the two just ate in silence. It was somewhat welcome. Since he’d been joined by the doctor Akria’s thoughts had calmed down. The Shadows and his sense of fear had dropped off. He still felt like he was having trouble breathing, but the Shadows stayed back.  
  
They sat next to a window, with Akira’s back toward the door. As he was eating Akira stared out the window. From here he could see the beach and the ocean. He could actually register the sunlight reflecting off the water. The view was almost perfect, except for the black car parked across from the restaurant obstructing part of the view.  
  
“So, Akira,” Maki had stopped eating. She was just watching him. Just like his parents. “What exactly happened today?”  
  
Akira picked over his meal, and turned back to face her, he’d only eaten a third of it, “I got into a fight with that asshole Takagawa at school.”  
  
“Did you tell your teachers he was after you again?” she sat with her hands folded on her lap.  
  
“I didn’t even make it into the building,” Akira took a bite of his food. Morgana was sitting in his bag on the chair next to him. Every now and again he’d let out a noise, upset no one was feeding him the delicious seafood he could smell. “I ran away. I hid in Uncle Eikichi’s old hide out.”  
  
“Akira, I thought we agreed you’d stay out of that construction yard,” Maki sighed, “No wonder you’re a mess.”  
  
He shrugged and they resumed eating. After the next stretch of silence Akira started talking first.  
  
“I saw the Lion.” Maki raised her head, her eyes a little wide. “I fell asleep in the basement. And when I woke up everything was- like _that_. Like it always is… And then saw the Lion.”  
  
“Hold on,” Maki fished her phone out of her jacket pocket and turned on a recording program before setting it face down on the table. She and Akira couldn’t have official sessions. But she tried to record every instance of his problems he told her about. “Okay, now go.”  
  
Akira hesitated, but told Maki everything. About waking up disoriented, feeling overwhelmed, feeling like he was suffocating. The Shadows trying to kill him. The Lion coming into the basement. The Lion not dissolving when he touched it.  
  
“Is it still going on, Akira? Are you seeing things right now?”  
  
Akira rolled his head to the side and grabbed some of his hair, “Not really. No. But I feel like, it’s still here… Like as soon as turn my head I’ll see it all over again.”  
  
“You’re still feeling anxious,” Maki put one elbow on the table and let her chin rest in her hand. She could explain most of Akira’s hallucinations on his birth parents. Why people where faceless, why people where shadows, why the city was covered in darkness she’d already pinpointed it grew from the early years of his life. The tentacles where just disturbed exaggerations of his father, people ‘dissolved’ because his mother just disappeared. But she still had no idea how to explain ‘The Lion’.  
  
It was a recent addition to his hallucinations. Akira only started mentioning it in the past year, well after he’d been forcibly removed from her care. And god knows he wasn’t talking to Dr. Sawada about it, not that he’d share any information with her…  
  
“We can stay here, until you feel calm. I don’t have another appointment for a good two hours.”  
  
Akira nodded, “But, what about, the fact that it’s real?” Maki looked puzzled. “The Lion. What about the fact that it’s real?”  
  
Maki sat up and shook her head, “Akira, the Shadows aren’t real. Even the more defined ones. The Lion isn’t-”  
  
“I touched it, Maki!” he raised his voice. “And it touched me. It spoke directly to me. It’s not like- not like before, not just them making a bunch of noise. It was like a person! It was real!”  
  
“Akira,” she looked around making sure no one was listening to them, “Akira, it’s _not_ real. You just _think_ it was real. You think you touched it, that it spoke, but you didn’t.”  
  
“But why?” Akira leaned forward to let his fingers rest against the top of his forehead. “Why now?”  
  
Maki was quiet for a moment, trying to think of the best way to put an answer together. “Your symptoms are escalating. More than likely due to stress. You said Takagawa and his friends attacked you before this episode, right? And, lately you’ve been obsessing over the fact everyone is leaving soon with the end of your senior year…”  
  
She adjusted herself in her seat and leaned forward to reach out and take Akira’s hand, “Just like how you started seeing the Lion after the trail, your hallucinations are changing, getting worse because of what you’re experiencing in day to day life. Not to mention you’re not taking anything for it.”  
  
“So what… I’m just going to keep getting worse? They’re just going to keep getting real?”  
  
“Well, this, this could be a good thing… If you’re getting worse, we could bring it to the attention of the probation board, that Dr. Sawada’s treatments aren’t working. That you need another doctor.”  
  
“Can I come back to you?” he perked up for a moment.  
  
“Uh, they’ll probably say no. But I know a very good psychologist, who’s excellent at treating advanced cases of psychosis and helping patients deal with hallucinations. Which, if you are starting to fall into the category of being unable to differentiate real from illusionary-”  
  
“It felt real, Maki. Like I felt it’s clothes real.”  
  
“… I think I can get you under a different doctor.”  
  
“Okay,” Akira nodded, “Do they also work at Hiiragi Therapy?”  
  
Maki squeezed his hand for a moment, offering Akira the widest smile she could. “No, they work at Morimot-”  
  
“No,” Akira jerked his hand back before she even finished the word. “No, that’s a death sentence.”  
  
“Akira,” Maki reached out for him again but he leaned all the way back in his chair. “Akira, you don’t have to _stay_ there. You would just go once a week for treatment.”  
  
“That’s where you send people you _want_ to die. You _want_ to forget.”  
  
“It’s not that bad, you’re exaggerating. We could go together your first few-”  
**  
** “Never,” he hissed at her. “I’ll kill myself before I let yo-”  
  
“Akira!”  
  
“You’re trying to kill me by sending me there!” Now he was shouting at her. “You send me to Morimoto and every person that knows me is either going to leave or turn on me! You think Takagawa is a problem now! What happens if I go there!?”  
  
“Akira, calm down,” Maki raised her hands trying to get him stop shouting. Members of the staff and a few patrons were looking their way. “We’re just talking about possibilities… Look, we’re not going do anything before we talk to your parents. Let’s call Tatsuya and-”  
  
“Oh, yeah,” Akira sneered at her, “It’s his dumb idea that got me stuck with Sawada-san! He’ll send me off to Morimoto just so stop causing problems!”  
  
“Akira, that’s not true. He was trying to keep you out of jail!”  
  
“I’m not going,” he got up and grabbed his bag, “I’m never going.”  
  
Maki got up as well, “Look, just, sit back down, Akira. We need to talk about this, you’re being hysterical. You’re only going to make yourself worse.”  
  
“I’d rather be worse than go!” he slung his bag over his shoulder so hard Morgana let out a yelp. He pushed his chair away and practically ran from the table and Maki. The woman scrambled after him as he ran out the door.  
  
Akira ran past his busted bike and down the sidewalk of the strip mall. Maki was not giving up. She called after him, demanding he stop. He glanced back to see her running as fast as she could. He had to lose her. Even if he ducked down an alley she’d follow, if only he had his bike.  
  
Akira reached the end of the strip mall and his eyes caught sight of a bus at the stop letting its last passenger on. He pushed himself to sprint like hell the last few feet, waving his hand like crazy, hoping the driver would hold the door.  
  
He got lucky.

He jumped onto the bus step and grabbed the bar to pull himself inside and let the man close the door. Outside he could faintly hear Maki calling his name as the bus started to move. Akira glanced through the windows as walked down the aisle to find a seat. He could see the top of Maki’s head as she came to a stop and watched the bus pull away. Akira took a seat in the back and sighed.  
  
Morimoto… Why would she suggest such a thing? Even if he wasn’t going to stay there, just going would put an end to any happiness he had left in his life. What would his friends say? How bad would things get with the people that already didn’t like him? He leaned back in his seat and rubbed his eyes. He wasn’t going.  
  
He was able to sit quietly on the bus for the first ten minutes before his phone buzzed in his pocket. Akira pulled it out to see Tatsuya was calling him.  
  
He answered the phone, doing his best to sound like everything was normal. “Hi Dad.”  
  
“Akira,” Tatsuya didn’t sound amused. But then again Akira was certain he hadn’t sounded amused in two years. “Where are you?”  
  
“I’m at school,” he didn’t hesitate to lie, even if he knew it was pointless.  
  
“Okay, I’m going to ask you again. And this time, please answer truthfully. Akira, where are you?”  
  
Of course Maki told him.  
  
“I’m riding the bus.”  
  
“What’s the next stop? I’m coming to get you.”  
  
“I don’t want you to,” Akira lowered his head.  
  
He heard Tatsuya sigh on the other end of the phone, “Look, it’s not up for debate. You shouldn’t be out roaming the city right now.”  
  
“I’m fine,” Akira twisted his hair with his free hand. “I don’t need to see you.”  
  
“That’s not what Maki, said…” there was a long pause. “Akira, please, what is the next stop?”  
  
Akira kept his head down. He hesitated for a moment. He opened his mouth like he was ready to answer. The next stop was Yumezaki’s Central Drive. He wanted to answer.  
  
“-I can’t. I just can’t go.” He hung up the phone. Akira pulled it back from his ear and looked at the screen. Tatsuya immediately called him back. **_Hes upset_** He silenced his phone and stuffed it back in his pocket.

**_You upset him                                   He hates you you know that right_ **

**_You did something wrong_ **

****

                                                                                                                                **_I dont want to go away not yet_**

****

Akira stayed on the bus until it reached Rengedai. The stop he got off on wasn’t far from Seven Sisters High School. Even from here he could see the top of the school’s clocktower. The sight made him both happy and sad. He wanted to go there, to go find his friends and just hang out with them. Like everything was normal again.  
  
He started walking towards the school. As the campus came into view, his eyes roamed over the fenced off track, the white school building on the other side, the clocktower still rising high above everything else. The rest of it was surrounded by trees. He remembered freshman year during lunch on sunny days he and his friends would go sit out under the trees surrounding the school. It was like the place had its own private park.

It wasn’t just his friends he missed, it was the school itself. All the staff there knew his fathers and his uncle. Most of the teachers were friendly. The Assistant Principal Sae Takami had been Tatsuya’s homeroom teacher his senior year. She even fought with Principal Hanya not to expel him. She failed… But he appreciated that she tried.  
  
He walked around the school’s block, over to the end with the most trees and made his way north. As he walked pass the cluster of dense trees he noted that out the corner of his vision, he saw the shadows they cast moving. Not just moving because the limbs were swaying in the wind, but squirming. Steadily rolling up on themselves like a snowball effect and keeping pace with him.  
  
Akira did his best to not look at it, but it made his chest clench. He took a few deep breaths and kept walking.  
  
To the north side of the school, and Rengedai in general there was a small, but prominent mountain. Mt. Katatsumuri was the tallest in the area, but Mt. Iwato was also a landmark. It was surrounded by trees from this end, but there was a path leading into the small wooded area. Akira walked the trail winding back and up the slope.  
  
Eventually he came to a divergence in the path; it curved to one side, down to a new little nature trail that let travelers take a slow and steady walk around the mountain. The old path, was roped off with a ‘No Trespassing’ sign.  Beyond it the trees and brush had started to reclaim the ground, making the way barely visible. Just ahead the start of a set of old stone steps could be seen.  
  
Akira stepped over the roped and started down the old path and up the steps. As he walked Morgana let out a few fusses; he could hear birds and other small animals roaming around. Things for him to hunt.  
  
“Calm down, we’re almost there…” Akira pat the side of his bag.  
  
At the top of the steps there was the old entry way to an old shrine. Now grown over with vines and moss. Laid out past that was a stone path and lanterns facing the same fate. Yellow flowers and weeds sprang up through the cracks in the stone path. And at the end an old shrine. The outer walls were black, mostly. Here and there large pieces of plywood had been put up to close up the gaps. What parts of the roof weren’t retaken by nature had the same treatment, long with blue tarps over some of the holes. It was oddly stable despite being gutted by fire and left to be forgotten.  
  
Alaya Shrine probably would have been forgotten, if Akira had set out to reclaim it for himself. Tatsuya and Jun would probably lock him in his room for days if they knew he came up here. If they knew he’d been sneaking up here for years.  
  
It wasn’t a place of fond memories for them. In the past it was a place where one made wishes for their dreams to come true. There were all kinds of stories about the springs that were further back in the mountain and a deity that lived around shrine that disguised himself as a golden butterfly.  
  
Akira let out a sigh and kneeled down to open his bag and let Morgana out.  
  
“Here we are, the Hideout. Don’t go far, okay?” Morgana climbed out of the bag and started to walk around. The area around the old shrine had far more little critters to keep him entertained than the well kept park. Akira walked up to the shrine and pulled aside a large piece of wood slid into place to act as a door. Over the years he and the others had been sneaking things up here, patching up holes where they could, hanging out inside and outside the burnt structure. There was a fold up card table to the side, a box with board games, playing cards, and other junk in it. On the outside there was a ladder to climb up and sit on the roof- on one of the parts he and Ryuji had ‘fixed’ with some wood form the hardware store. It wasn’t a big spot, just big enough for two people. But you could sit up there and see the tops of the trees.  
  
Hanging on the walls were a bunch of mask. A requirement that Akira made; well it was tradition really. That everyone went along with, despite a few eyerolls at first, but eventually they fell in love with the idea of it.  
  
The Hideout was where Akira came to be alone with everyone. Though today he was the only one here.  
  
He walked inside the shrine and over to the masks on the wall: a black and white pointe domino mask, half a grey skull, a red cat mask, a brown and white spotted fawn mask, a green gecko one, a white one that covered the left side of one’s face, and a white fox mask with red markings. He picked up the fox mask and held it in his hands, tracing a finger down the middle to the nose and almost smiled.  
  
“Would you believe me, if I told you it was real? That the Lion was here, not just in my head?”  
  
Outside he heard Morgana hissing. Akira put the mask back on the wall and stuck his head outside. His cat was glaring at the line of trees, his back arched up. The teen came to stand next to his pet and looked into the trees. As his eyes scanned for something, anything; his brain could only spy more Shadows. Clinging to the edges of the trees, crawling up and down them, but staying just out of the sunlight.  
  
“…Come on, Morgana,” he reached down and grabbed the cat. Morgana continued to growl as Akira walked up to the shrine and pulled the makeshift door shut. He then turned away from the trees his pet was glaring at and made his way into the other side of the woods.  
  
There was another overgrown path here, where he had to step over stumps and shrubs. It led him back to the entrance of a cave in the mountain side. There was a weathered sign out front, advising visitors to stay on the marked path. Something Akira was not planning to do.  
  
The marked path used to have sign post here and there telling visitors about the reflection pools in the caves. The fresh water springs bubbled up inside Mt. Iwato and where believed to reflect images of people’s past that they’d forgotten. Akira walked right past the old signs and into a narrow cave tunnel.  
  
It was a little tight, but once he came out the other end, he entered into a room with a large reflection pool.  There was even a hole in the mountain side that let sunlight filter in. He set Morgana down; the cat was less restless now, and Akira moved along the side of the cave that had a few gaps in it. He came upon a small chest, a little bigger than a shoe box, hidden among the rockface.  
  
He pulled it out and moved to sit down near the edge of the pool.  
  
Morgana sat down next to him, rubbing his head against his arm and purring. Inside the box was a collection of nick knacks. Akira’s eyes combed over them until they settled on a little pink rabbit, no bigger than his hand with a heart stitched on the stomach. He picked it up and held it up to the light.  
  
In a mocking voice he spoke, “Here comes Mr. Bun- hop hop hop!” He bounced it around until he set the stuffed creature on Morgana’s nose, prompting him to pull away and bat at the rabbit. Akira laughed. “Aunt Sis would be offended, you don’t like her little charm.”  
  
He turned it over in his hand and traced along the heart, “Always smile, stay positive… What’s positive about being told you’re crazy?”  
  
He stuck the rabbit back in the chest and pulled out an old guitar pick with one hand. He twisted it around his fingers, letting it flip over and back while he picked through the box with his free hand. He moved over an old Muses concert ticket, a track medal, a handwritten note, a circular rainbow compact on a silver chain, and stopped on an old silver watch. He put the pick down so he could hold the watch with both hands.  
  
It didn’t work. Hadn’t in forever. But Jun used to wear it every day. He only took it off if he thought what he was doing would damage it further.  
  
Akira latched it onto his wrist and looked down at the face plate. He could see his face staring back at him in the small reflection the glass created.  
  
“Morgana,” the cat lifted its head to him as looked at the watch, “I’m getting worse, because I’m not taking anything, right?” He turned from the watch to his bag. Akira dug through his things until he found the bag with pill he’d stolen this morning. Akira took it out and held it in his hand.  
  
It was a little white disk. With a ‘K’ imprinted on one side and an ‘I’ on the other.  
  
“If, if it’s even for a moment. If it means I don’t have to go...” Akira tilted his head back and put the pill in his mouth. Morgana immediately meowed loudly. But he couldn’t stop him. It was terrible swallowing a pill dry. It made him cough a few times, but he managed it.  
  
Akira looked at the broken watch. It was Jun’s, but it was Tatsuya’s.  
  
He licked his lips. How long would take? Would he ever be ‘normal’? Would he ever be well? He twisted the watch around on his wrist. He just didn’t want to go, at least not to Morimoto. He’d rather drown himself in the reflection pool. No one would come back here, he could.

He could. **_You could_**  
  
The water would suffocate him, just like the Shadows. His body would dissolve, melt away just like they did.  
  
Akira crawled over to the edge of the water. He looked down at the pool. His eyes seemed wider than before. The water was moving, flowing like the ocean. **_I did everything wrong That’s why hes so mad_**   Akira reached down to touch the edge of the water. **_I just want it to stop Go away Go away  
  
_** Morgana came to sit next to him, mewing. The cat’s voice echoed around the little cave. Each sound made the water jump.

 ** _So angry all the time I did it_** Akira watched the water bubble up and lose its lucidity. It turned to mush. It turned to Shadow. It was hard to breathe. **_Never coming back No one is coming back_**

He reached out to touch it, and it splashed in is hand. Turning back into water. His arm was elbow deep in the pool. **_Melt Melting Youre melting_**

Akira couldn’t close his mouth, he was gasping for air. Was he drowning? The Shadows were here too? They were never here. Not here. But he felt them clawing at his arm, out of the pool, up his shoulder over his face, into his mouth, into his lungs.

Strangling him. From all the way back at the door he was strangling him suffocating him in the darkness. Long, oozing black, tendrils spreading form his profile in the door to his neck. Into his mouth, over his face and over his eyes.

**_You could die here It would be fine_ **

Morgana was growling now. Hissing and spitting.

Akira pulled back, his head was soaking wet. His mouth was full of water. He had to gasp for air, he couldn’t close his mouth. The entire cave was dark. The floor was moving, a vast empty expanse of Shadows clawing up over his body.  
  
He fell backwards hyperventilating. He backed up from the water. He couldn’t see anything. He could hear Morgana snarling.  
  
He hit something.

He hit someone.

He looked up into the smooth face of the Lion.

**_“Get away from me. I’m not- ready yet!”_ **

“ _You don’t want to go there, right?”_

Akira looked up, his whole body felt like it was sinking into the floor.

 _“I’m not going to take you. Remember?”_  
  
Akira nodded, he didn’t remember. He remembered the Lion. He remembered he talks to him. He remembered he laughs at him. He reached down and grabbed his shoulders picking him up, lifting him up.

Floating through the darkness. The Shadows scratching at his back. He was floating in nothing, surrounded by Shadows.

**_Theres only the Lion_ **

_“We’re just alike, no? You can’t stop the Shadows. They can’t stop the voices.”_

There are other faces like the Lion. Wrapped around their necks are blue, and purple, and green, and yellow.

_“I’m not going to take you.”_

It’s the voice of a liar. Morgana has stopped screaming. Is he even here? He can’t see the floor. He can’t see the sky. Everything is dark except these round faces and splotches of color. Only the Lion talks. Only the Lion laughs. The Shadows are still coiling around him. It’s getting painful.  
  
They’re killing him. Ripping at his skin now, tearing at his face.

_“…Face?”_

**_“Yes, at my face… make it stop, I’m not ready yet… Just go away.”_ **

At his request the Shadows stop holding him. The Lion lets him go. And he drops. The ground is hard and cold and he hears water trickling splashing. And Morgana calling to him softly, almost scared.  
  
_“That’s all, Nyarlathotep.”  
  
_ Akira opened his eyes.  
  
Morgana was headbutting his face. The cave was dark. Had he passed out until night? He lifted his head rubbing the side of his face. It was dark, but the darkness was still. Nothing moved, nothing crawled, nothing attacked him.

And he could breathe.  
  
“It, worked?” He reached out to pet his cat. Akira fished his phone out of his pocket to turn on the flash light. As he swiped the screen he sighed. Five missed calls form Tatsuya. Four from Jun.  
  
The Shadows might not have killed him, but he was still dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Akira's chapters are not necessarily hard to write, but I constantly rewrite them cause I don't feel like I quiet capture the feeling I want to share with you all... I can already feel the 'WTF's coming my way about Akira's special friend. Just hold tight, and enjoy for now. I promise the next few chapters there's good times. Even a 'date'.


	15. Pure Hope and Returning Happiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay let's get that placeholder out the way and put in an actual chapter, shall we? It's IMPOSSIBLE for me to not give Goro these long ass scenes. I've come to terms with it. I can just only hope that his detective scenes make everyone go 'Okay how does this factor in I thought I had this understood' as much I find myself shaking my laptop screen everytime I read Musical_life's stuff.
> 
> Yeah I'm calling you out [Musical_life](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musical_life/pseuds/Musical_life) stop being so good!
> 
>  
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

  


Akira made the walk home form Mt. Iwato back to his home as quickly as he could. He didn’t call ahead of time. He knew he should have, as to not worry his parents. But he also knew that calling ahead was just going to make things harder. They were going to tell him to hurry, that Tatsuya was going to come get him, or Jun was going to ask a million questions that he couldn’t answer before he even got home.  
  
It was easier to just show up.  
  
As he approached the gate of his house he noticed his bent-up bike was sitting off to the side. Tatsuya must have found it while out combing the streets for him. Speaking of his dad, his motorcycle was parked out front.

Everyone was home.

Great! This would go swell.  
  
He approached the door and pulled out his house keys. He could hear Tatsuya and Jun’s muffled voices directly on the other side of the door. Tatsuya stating that he was going to go out and try again and Jun saying he’d stay up until they were both home.  
  
The moment Akira’s keys touched the door it flew open and Tatsuya nearly collided with him.  
  
“Akira!” Jun shouted from behind as the two had to back up to avoid knocking each other over.  
  
“Akira…” Tatsuya looked him over, his voice didn’t hold the same shocked tone as Jun’s.  
  
“Hi, sorry I’m late,” that’s not really what Akira wanted to say, but that’s what came out. It was more supposed to be, ‘I’m home! Sorry I ditched you! Sorry I worried you! I can explain!’. But instead he just walked inside his head slightly down as Tatsuya moved to let him in.  
  
“Akira,” Jun reached out and grabbed both sides of his face. He forced him to look up at him. He was smiling, but his cheeks looked slightly read as did the corners of his eyes. The sight just made Akira’s chest constrict. “Akira, what happened to you. You’re a mess.”  
  
“A mess?” he glanced down. Right, he’d managed to sleep in two completely terrible places today. “I took a nap, outside.”  
  
“Where?” Tatsuya came up behind him, “In a dirt pile?”  
  
“Sort of…” Mountains were kind of like giant dirt piles. Right?  
  
He felt Tatsuya put a hand on his back, “Go get cleaned up.”  
  
“Right,” Jun nodded, “I’ll heat up your dinner. Okay?”  
  
Akira nodded and made his way past Jun to head to the hallway. He glanced back at the two, they were standing there, watching him. Tatsuya with is arms crossed and Jun still doing his best to smile. Akira ducked into the hallway and kept walking until he knew he was out of sight but not out of ear shot.  
  
“…Well he seems alright,” he could hear Tatsuya first.  
  
“Should we ask him about it? I don’t want him to take off again.”  
  
“Maybe not tonight, maybe tomorrow… Was he wearing your watch?”  
  
Akira turned away and entered his room. He looked down at his wrist and sighed. In his haste to get home he hadn’t taken off the watch. He kept all his treasures together, he’d have to go back tomorrow and return it. As he raised his eyes from the watch to his room he noticed there was a bottle sitting on his desk. He walked over to it and picked it up. There was a note underneath:  
  
_‘Take three a day! -From Maki-san’  
_  
He chuckled when he saw Morgana’s name on the bottle. Akira set his bag down and let the cat out while he took a shower and got changed for bed. He left the watch on his desk next to his medication. By the time he came back out to the front of the house his parents were watching the start of today’s rerun of Wang Long Chizuru’s fortune telling show. They were discussing a young lady on the show who was today’s guest. A new idol going by the name Venus.  
  
“-I don’t know,” Akira entered in the middle of Jun’s sentence, “Lisa used to have a pretty explosive attitude in high school. I’m sure it will be fine.”  
  
“Lisa was only like that around us, she was always great at keeping her public personality in check.”  
  
The two turned their heads to Akira as he entered the room. Morgana came in right behind him. Jun got up to get him his food, but Akira declined, saying he could just eat it in his room.  
  
“Or, you can just eat it out here with us,” Tatsuya’s words were phrased like a suggestion, but Akira had a feeling it was a demand.  
  
So Akira went to the kitchen and grabbed the bowl of udon that Jun had set aside from him. He dumped a can cat food into Morgana’s bowl (since he hadn’t fed him since they left that morning) and then returned and sat on the floor to the side of his parents. They weren’t really watching the show, he could tell. Because they’d stopped talking. He had his back to them, but he knew they were looking at him. He started counting the minutes. Wondering how long it was going to take before someone spoke.  
  
“So,” Jun broke the silence. “Akira did you get into a fight at school today?”  
  
He didn’t look up from his bowl, “Takagawa started a fight with me, if that’s what you mean.”  
  
“His mother called the shop this afternoon, she said you two had an altercation.”  
  
“He cried to his mom about it?” Akira couldn’t help but snort back a laugh.  
  
“Actually,” Tatsuya leaned forward and Akira turned his head to look at him. “She called to complain about his busted phone. And our problematic kid.”  
  
“He broke my phone case. So, I took his… It’s not my fault he’s terrible at catching.” There was a pregnant pause as he and Tatsuya stared at each other.  
  
Finally Tatsuya sighed, yet he had a faint smile as he did so, “Well we owe him a phone. Which means you owe him a phone. It’s coming out of your allowance.”  
  
“We’ve been giving him an allowance?” Jun was sitting back on the couch, his arms crossed on his lap.  
  
“How much am I getting?” Akira watched as Tatsuya sat back up.  
  
“As much as it cost to buy Takagawa a new phone.” Jun started to laugh; he had to put his hand to his mouth to stifle it but failed. Tatsuya leaned to side watching him, a smirk on his lips. Akira rolled his eyes. “You don’t have to go to school tomorrow.” Tatsuya spoke over Jun’s laughter. “But you do have to go with Jun to help at the shop since you skipped out today.”  
  
“I can manage that.”  
  
After he finished his food he got up and put his bowl away. He came back out and bid his parents good night. Neither of them asked about his episode or where he went. It seemed he was going to get off the hook for today.  
  
Morgana followed him back to his room, jumping up onto his bed and watching him as he stood across from Yusuke’s painting. The painting was the only treasure he couldn’t keep in the cave. The moisture would damage it, not to mention it was too big to hide. But he liked it here, in his room, watching over him.  
  
He walked over to his desk where he’d put down Jun’s watch next to the bottle of medication. He picked it up and put it back on his wrist. As he was looking down at the broken hands frozen in time he heard a knock on the door.  
  
Tatsuya peeked inside just as he turned around.  
  
“Hey, Akira, can I come in?”  
  
“Okay,” Akira cleared his throat. This had to be it. Now he was going to ask him about everything that happened. Tatsuya came inside, but didn’t say anything. He stood across form him looking at him for more than a minute. The only noise was the sound of Tatsuya occasionally taking a deep breath and Akira exhaling as if in response.  
  
“Akira-” he finally spoke, digging his lighter form his pocket, but he didn’t open it. “I talked to Maki-san today… I- I’m not going to ask you about, this- just tell us. Alright? We can’t help you when you don’t say anything.”  
  
“I know,” Akira reached up rubbed the side of his neck. “I did talk to her. But she said-”  
  
“I’m not sending you to be treated at Morimoto.” Tatsuya cut him off. “I know it’s not the same place it was when they first opened it. That its better and Maki assures me the doctors are great, but you’re not going.”  
  
Akira nodded. Tatsuya did the same.  
  
His dad looked down at the lighter in his hand and then extended it out to Akira. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of what was going on before reaching out with his open palm, and Tatsuya dropped the lighter into it. He then took Akira’s hand and made him wrap his fingers around it to hold it tight.  
  
“You’re not going anywhere. Alright?”  
  
Akira felt a rush of sensation was over him. He felt light headed, but in a good way. He nodded, with a smile this time. He wasn’t sure how long he and Tatsuya stood there, but eventually the silence was disrupted by the sound of Akira’s phone chiming on the desk behind him.  
  
Akira pulled his hand back to look at the screen. His expression lit up with a surprised smile, one that Tatsuya must have seen because he told him to go ahead an answer and he’d see him in the morning.  
  
As he walked out Akira picked up the phone with his free hand, while he instinctively flicked the lighter’s lid up and down in his other.  
  
**Akechi:** You bother me for days and then give up? I don’t accept that. You’re far more annoying and persistent than that.  
  
Akira read the text, a grin spread across his face. Akechi had contacted him; of his own free will. And he wanted to see him again.  
  
**Akira:** That’s a weird way of saying you want to go out again, but I’m game.  
  
**Akechi:** So, you’re not dead. Good. I was starting to wonder what happened to you.  
  
**Akira:** Considered dying. It’s tempting really. But I’ve got to work off this phone debt Dad’s imposed on me.  
  
**Akechi:** Phone debt?  
  
**Akira:** It’s a long story. I can tell you tomorrow at the park. Same time?  
  
**Akechi:** I’ll see you tomorrow then.

Akira flicked the lighter closed muttering a small ‘yes’ to himself. He was startled with how happy he was. Not hours ago he thought his world was ending, but now it seemed to just be getting started. It was irrational, maybe the medication he took earlier really did help him feel better.

Or maybe he was just really that happy to hear from the detective. Either way he pushed away from his desk and flopped down on his bed with a smile as he sent his last response.  
  
**Akira:** It’s a date.

  
  
  


Goro’s morning started out the same as most had in Sumaru. Tatsuya asked him a few question on how his part of the investigation was going and then dismissed him to do his own thing. The teenager was tempted to follow him one of these days. Tatsuya didn’t go with Ueda, Sylvia, or Akiyama. He always left to go look into something on his own.  
  
It made him wonder, why? Was it because he didn’t want them to know what was going on in his head? Or was it because he didn’t trust them as well?  
  
Or maybe it was to protect them from getting caught up in his reputation?  
  
In the end Goro decided Detective Suou trusted no one but himself. That made him a dangerous man. He, personally, only trusted himself. And he, over and over again, had done a few risky things to get results. Putting himself in places he shouldn’t be, following people without permission, prying when he was told to stop…  
  
But he also solved every case he was told to watch his step on. And from what he saw with Wang Long Chizuru, Tatsuya also had his own way of solving his cases.  
  
He chuckled, “Oh no, Sae-san sent me here to deal with myself. That’s really what her intentions are.” He’d have to remember to thank her for letting him experience firsthand how frustrating it can be to work with him.  
  
Though, he trusted Sae. More than he trusted anyone else. That mutual trust he felt was the only thing motivating him right now. He wasn’t going to leave Sumaru until this case was closed. She’d sent him here because she knew he could do it. No matter how weird the people were, how much they kept him at a distance, how much they tried to use him, how much they hated him-

He wasn’t going anywhere.

“Here,” Goro muttered himself and pulled out his pad of paper. He’d been combing through the public record looking for the last known address of Maya Okamura. She was a friend of Kashihara, and the target of Kurosu’s smear campaign. She’d surly have some insight on the man’s death and connections to the occult.  
  
As he jotted down the address he paused, the name was familiar: Morimoto Mental Hospital and Detention Ward. That was the place Dr. Sonomura was talking about yesterday. It’s the place that sent Akira running from her.  
  
He typed it into his phone. The first hit was the official website, the next was a news article about a deadly fire. He clicked that one. A quick read about how the entire place had burned down, killing twenty-one staff members and over fifty patients. He scrolled back up to the date.  
  
“The same year Tatzusou was killed, the same here Tatsuya was released…” he shook his head. “That is not a coincidence. That man has a gross affinity for fire and violence.”  
  
He put his phone away and folded his arms. Going to see a patient admitted into a Mental Health facility was going to require a warrant. One he felt he wasn’t going to get. And if he just went up there asking the staff would give him away- he’d need private permission from her doctor or family. Either of which could be a stretch to get under Shimazu’s nose or, at worse, would just take forever.  
  
He pulled his phone up again and looked at visiting hours for the hospital.  
  
“I guess her nephew’s going to pay her a visit,” he got up from his desk and chuckled silently. It was good that Tatsuya sent him out on his own, if someone had been partnered with him they might object to his idea.

Sae-san really did send him out here to work with himself.

 

 

Goro stood outside the door to Hanakotoba. It was about the middle of the morning. If he was going to show up at the hospital to visit his ‘family’, he wanted it to be convincing. Showing up bearing a gift of flowers made sense. Lucky him, he was already acquainted with a local florist.

Well ‘lucky’ was a subjective term.

He opened the door to the shop with a smile on his face and was quickly greeted by Jun standing behind the counter, and the wife of the Gatten Sushi shop proprietor standing on the other side.  
  
“Good morning, Akechi,” Jun nodded to him as he entered. “What brings you here today?”  
  
“Actually,” he lingered in the doorway for a second quickly scanning the room, only the two adults were present. “I came because I need a bouquet of flowers. Anything appropriate to take someone sick will do.”  
  
“Oh?” Jun eyed him a bit surprised. Goro could see it on his face, he was curious as to who the sick person was. Which was natural, he knew no one in town. “Well I can make you something quickly-”  
  
“No, that’s no trouble, I’ll just get a pre-made one and be on my way.”  
  
Jun crossed his arms at Goro’s statement, he looked slightly offended, “I’m going to make you something. It will be simple, less than five minutes.”  
  
“I really don’t-” Goro stopped as he studied Jun’s face. The way the man’s dark brown eyes fixed on him with an imposing glare indicated his refusal was not an acceptable answer. “-Don’t know much about plants, so your work will be better than my picking at random!” He smiled and shrugged his shoulders a bit.  
  
“Right, well before I get to that, let me introduce you to my friend,” Jun motioned to the heavyset woman, “Akechi, this is Mishina, Miyabi, a family friend. Miyabi-chan this is Akechi, Goro. He’s the young man working with Tatsuya on the murder case.”  
  
“Oh!” The lady’s round face lit up, “So that’s where Akira knows you from. Eikichi and I were curious as to how you two crossed paths.”  
  
“Wait, you met him already?” Jun leaned forward slightly on the counter.  
  
“Oh, yes, he came in the other day to have sushi with Akira and his group of friends.”  
  
“Is that so?” Jun turned his head to meet Goro’ gaze again. This time his expression implied something. Something Goro didn’t feel comfortable letting hang in the air.  
  
“Akira invited me out to eat, since I don’t know any establishments in town. He didn’t tell me there would be a large group… It was an apology, for splashing me with rain water the first day I got here.”  
  
“I see, well,” Jun came from around the counter. “Like I said, I’ll just be a few minutes.” He walked away from the two to go fetch a few supplies and began putting together a small bouquet for Goro.  
  
That left just the young detective and the woman standing at the counter. He could have stood in silence with the woman. Or he could probe her for a bit of information through small talk.  
  
“So,” Goro kept his eyes on Jun as he spoke and his voice low, “Jun-san said you were a family friend? But Suou-san said your husband was his uncle?”  
  
“Oh, well, Tatsuya and Eikichi have been friends since grade school. And since Jun and Tatsuya always referred to Maya-san as his ‘Sister’, she became Akira's 'Aunt'. Somewhere along the line Akira started associating Eikichi as being his ‘Uncle’ and he wasn’t going to let anyone else tell him otherwise.”  
  
“I see it’s not a blood relation…” he now turned to look at the woman, “So, tell me how long have you known the Suous?”  
  
“Ah, since high school. I went Sevens with Tatsuya. And after college Maya-san was kind enough to help me get a job at Kismet. I don’t work under the _Coolest_ label though.”

“Hmn,” Goro held his chin between his thumb and fingers, “What about Jun-san? Wasn’t he a teacher at Sevens out of college? Why is he here?”  
  
“Oh…” Miyabi glanced away rubbing her arm, “He quit two years ago.” Now she was muttering. “After they expelled Akira. It’s- Principal Hanya and he really went to war over it. It’s a shame… I mean the man is retiring soon and Vice Principal Takami is to take over. She really likes Jun. She probably would have put his name in the hat to move up to take her position.”  
  
“Seems like a bit of a leap? From teaching to flowers? Why not go to another High School?”  
  
Miyabi chuckled, “You, really don’t know how big of a deal it was do you? The incident? Even Tatsuya was nearly fired… It took us getting everyone we knew to stand behind him for him to stay on the force. … Actually, it was Kurosu-san that bought this shop and gave it to Jun, he always had a green thumb and a fondness for plants. Trying to prove her good will I guess.”  
  
“Kurosu?” Goro hesitated, “The actress? She bought this place?”  
  
Miyabi nodded, “Guess Jun just decided to make the best of it. He usually refuses anything she gives hi-”  
  
“Here you are,” Jun spoked up approaching the two. “One ‘Well wishes’ bouquet.”  
  
Goro reached out and took the flower arrangement. It was small, and simple, in the center two sunflowers surrounded by sprigs of lilies of the valley, and snowdrops, all wrapped up in a green and white plastic cellophane to hold them together.  
  
“Thank you, Jun-san.” Goro took the flowers nodding. “How much do I owe you?”  
  
“Just take it, Akechi,” Jun smiled crossing his arms. “It’s for the investigation, right?”  
  
“Ah, well-”  
  
“It will be easier for you, if there’s no record of a purchase, right?” He grinned at the brunette, one side of his lips curling upward. The sight reminded Goro of Jun’s teenage son.  
  
“I appreciate your assistance,” he nodded to him in a quick farewell before heading outside. He supposed it was true. If he got caught there was no way to trace the plants. Jun had used a generic wrap around them, he wore gloves while doing, and surly there were other florist in town.  
  
“Hey!” He turned his head to the left, just in time to see Akira riding up and coming to a stop. “You’re early, Akechi-kun.”  
  
“Ah,” Goro shook his head, “I had to make a stop, for these-” he held up the flowers. “I’m not here for you.” It wasn’t until after he finished his sentence that Goro realized how harsh it sounded. It was true, but it was dismissive… Akira didn’t seem to mind it, however. Perhaps he was already used to being dismissed so much that it rolled off of him? He knew that feeling well...  
  
“Ah, still working… Well, you didn’t forget about tonight, right?”  
  
“No, I haven’t forgotten.” He shook his head. He actually hadn’t. Which was somewhat surprising. He usually forgot any personal arrangements he made with Nijima and Okumura. And he wasn’t even going to get anything out of tonight… “Eight o’clock, at the park. I’ll be at the gates by seven thirty.”  
  
“Great,” Akira nodded to him, a faint smile spread across his lips.  
  
It was a forced habit of Goro’s to always smile back. Part of his act when working, always smile and laugh, let your annoyances roll off your shoulders. But for some reason when Akira smiled at him he was hesitant about it. He met him with blank stares and scowls and questions. Maybe because Akira’s smile came without jest at his expense.  
  
Even now he didn’t smile. He felt his lips twisting, trying to respond accordingly, but he stopped himself. He instead stared back, like in the bathroom at the sushi house. He didn’t know what to do with Akira. He half wondered how he was going to get through tonight when the door to the shop opened.  
  
“Akira,” Jun stood in the doorway, “Come on, you’re supposed to be making deliveries for me. Not accosting the police.”  
  
“I’m not bothering him, Pops,” Akira broke eye contact with him to respond to Jun and Goro turned his head slightly to the right. He blinked his eyes a few times, as if turning away from Akira wasn’t enough to actually stop looking into his grey eyes.  
  
Akira leaned his freshly fixed up bike up against the shop wall and entered inside; Goro looked over his shoulder to see Jun standing in the door still. Making that same stare from before, laced with implications that he knew something more than he should.  
  
Something that wasn’t there obviously.  
  
“Thank you again.”  
  
“You’re welcome, Akechi.”

 

 

The Morimoto Mental Hospital and Detention Ward was located on the far end of Hirasake, on the outskirts of town. It was located up the slope of Mt. Mifune, the lone building on the mountainside. One had to go up a long, winding two lane road surrounded by forest to reach the specialized hospital.  
  
Goro thanked his taxi driver as he stepped out into the Hospital’s front parking lot.  
  
The hospital consisted of two buildings. The main facility, which served the general public, shaped like a ‘U’ around a large court yard, it served as a hospital for temporary and permanent residence. There was a second building, connected to the main hospital by a few covered walkways and bridges where the more ‘violent’ individuals were kept. Including anyone sent to the facility via court order for rehabilitation. He could imagine why Akira didn’t want to go there.  
  
Goro walked up to the main building and through the front doors. Inside the halls he felt it looked less like a hospital and more like quiet resort hotel. Though the floors were tiled and the ceilings high with bright lights, there were lots of decorations, paintings, flowers, and ornate chairs in the lobby. It wasn’t anything like picture’s he’d seen of the burnt down hospital. Bare walls, bare floors, cold uninviting… Perhaps they opted to update the design to be more comforting to the patients.  
  
He approached the desk and introduced himself, as a nephew of Ms. Okamura- through a family marriage of course. Goro might not have been able to smile at Akira, but he could at anyone else. It wasn’t a natural skill; a forced one. Learned through habit and fear at an early age, smile at every adult. Cheerful and bright; convey earnest and trust and appear to be as respectful as possible. Speak with clarity and levity in your voice and they’ll roll over like dogs.  
  
Even if they’re angry when you walk away, they’ll still let you walk away. And that’s what’s important. There was victory in letting them think they had control over the situation.  
  
Especially when he was playing them like he was playing the nurse at the receptionist desk. He gave her is horrified story of learning a family member was kept here, unvisited for some time. He personally had a parent that stayed in a mental care ward until her dying days. And his visits were her only joy. He couldn’t imagine that the Okamura’s neglected Maya so…  
  
He just wanted to meet her, even if just to say hello. To try and be the one to bring so happiness back to her life.  
  
The nurse listened to his story; she was wary at first, but his sob story quickly melted her heart. It was convincing. Maybe a bit to true to life on some accounts. But she granted him a visitor’s pass and directed him to Maya’s room.  
  
And of course she complimented the flowers.  
  
He was right to bring them.

 

 

The wing of Morimoto that Okamura was kept in was for permanent residence. As such it was the least ‘hospital looking’ section of the building. Goro passed through a set of double doors into a hall with flat low carpet, no tile. He walls were all cream colored and here and there flowered vases decorated the halls. All the plants were fake, however. There was a sitting room for patients: a large lobby with chairs, tables, a television and board games. The people ranged from young to old, but there weren’t many of them. He imagined it was never the hospital’s goal to have to admit someone for care for the rest of their life.  
  
He stood on the edge of sitting room watching the few patients sitting at table playing a game of cards. Though, he noted they weren’t playing that much. Their movements seemed lethargic, and had no rhyme or reason. They picked up cards, took them form each other, threw them down all without talking. Curious, he walked over and stood at the end of the table.

They didn’t even look at him. Goro’s eyes fell on a little plastic cup with a pill in it. He glanced around the room, there were a few other residences sitting over by the TV, but they actually seemed engaged in the news program they were watching. And there was nurse in the far corner preparing something on a cart. He turned back to the table and picked up the container.  
  
A white circular pill with an ‘I’ on one side of it.  
  
“What is this…?” He muttered to himself.  
  
“Can I help you?” his head snapped up, the nurse was now approaching him, carrying a tray filled with more plastic cups of medication. She was glaring at him.  
  
Goro put the medication down and offered her his best apologetic smile, “Oh, I’m terribly sorry, I’m just passing through on my way to Okamura-san’s room.”  
  
“You’re here for Miss Okamura? Her room is on the second floor.” The woman was still glaring.  
  
“Ah, yes I know, I guess got turned around looking for the stairs… And I just, saw these guests playing cards! But I couldn’t make out what they were playing…”  
  
“Go fish.” The woman’s answer was flat with annoyance.  
  
“Ah…” He looked back at them. If this was go fish, he was a bird. They were tossing cards about with dulled eyes and wide pupils. “Well then, can you direct me to the stairs?”  
  
“Go back to the hall, go to the end. It’s straight ahead.”  
  
“Thank you,” he bowed his head to her and turned around and quickly left. That was unsettling. No wonder Akira ran and hid from everyone.  
  
The second floor was much like the first, but without the large common room. There were a few gathering areas for patients to talk, and nurse’s stations every few rooms, but not many of the people checked in here were out and about. Goro passed by doctors, nurses, security… But every patient room was shut up tight. There weren’t even visitors, and this was visiting hours wasn’t it? Surly someone should be walking about other than him?  
  
He finally arrived at Maya Okamura’s room and knocked. From the other side of the door he heard the faint sound of a woman’s voice responding, telling him to enter.  
  
Inside the room reminded him of a mixture of a hospital and a cheap hotel room. The floor is still the firm, flat carpet and cream walls. There’s was a plain little desk against one wall, and across from it a large locked cabinet hanbing on the wall. More than likely full of supplies for the doctors. The bed is hospital issued, though perhaps a bit wider than normal, and the wall around it has monitors, screens and emergency call button.  
  
On the desk there were lots of papers, in fact they are everywhere in the room. The desk, the walls, the floor. All of them have things scribbled across them. Essays, dozens of them at great length about things he didn’t have time to glance at. Sitting next to the window in a little chair that matches the plain desk is an older woman in a simple white gown and paper slippers. Her brown and grey hair has been left to grow without restraint, reaching far down her back, and over the chair. She turned to look at him, a frown on her face. Around her eyes and mouth there were years’ worth of wrinkles, built up from turning her lips downward for ages.  
  
“You’re not my doctor,” were the first words out of her mouth. “Leave,” was the next thing she said before turning back to look out the window.  
  
“Ah,” Goro shut the door behind himself. “Okamura-san,” he entered despite her orders and approached her slowly. The woman didn’t appear mentally unstable, but he’s cautious none the less. “These are for you.”  
  
He extended the flowers to her, but she didn’t move. Goro turned and set them down on the desk glancing at her papers before returning to stand next to her. He could now see in her lap, she had a small white note book. It’s not where all the papers around the room are from, he could tell because the book was still full of pages.  
  
“Okamura-san, please, I came all the way here to talk to you. I promise I won’t stay long I just-”  
  
“Go, away,” she didn’t even turn her head. Her chestnut color eyes were fixed on something out the window. He leaned forward trying to see what had her attention so. He could see the court yard with a few residences wondering through the garden while nurses watched, the mountainside, parts of the city, nothing really stood out.  
  
Goro lead back and crossed his arms he figured he’d skip right to the point, “Okamura-san, my name is Akechi, I’m a detective with Tokyo Special Investigations. I’m here to ask you a few questions about the death of Kashihara, Akinari.”  
  
Saying Akinari’s name was like flipping a switch. The woman now turned to look at him, eyes wide with wonder, almost relief. He had her full attention now. She reached out with one hand to grab his wrist. Her grip was tight, though her hand was a bit on the thin side.  
  
“You- you’ve finally come- ha!” She smiled at him, but something was off. Her eyes grew wider, her teeth flashed behind her lips. “You’ve finally come- to put it to rest! That- that wretched harpy stole him from me! Stole everything from us!”  
  
“Uh,” Goro paused, glancing around. Harpy? He quickly combed through his thoughts. She had to mean is wife. “What can you tell me about her?”  
  
“That monster!” Okamura turned to face him completely now, putting her back to the window. “She never loved him…. She never loved anything other than herself!” The woman clutched her notebook in one hand. “She seduced him, like a siren, stole him away simply because she wanted the attention…”  
  
“How did they meet?” Goro got down on one knee, looking up at her. He didn’t really care about Kashihara’s wife, however now that Okamura was talking to him he wanted to keep the conversation rolling. He could steer it as needed.  
  
“She was in his class, senior year…” Okamura made a sound of disgust. “He told her she was beautiful, that she could be anything. She fed off that, the praise of others, their admiration. She sucked it out of him- all his praise to fuel her and then tossed him aside! Killed him!” She started screaming. “I begged him to reconsider, to not fall for her traps… She never understood him- she never understood him like I did…”  
  
She stopped screaming now and gently stroked her book, “Oh, Akinari, he gave everything for his work… And she mocked him, belittled him… She was a monster.”  
  
Goro watched the way she stroked the book. What was in it, he wondered. “He gave everything for his work… Including his life? Or did she kill him?”  
  
“…both…” Okamura stopped petting the notebook and turned to Goro to lean and whisper. “If she hadn’t stolen everything from him, he would have found another way to stop the clocktower. We would have lived together, watching the human race rise above its shackles… But she convinced him, there was no reason for him to see tomorrow. So, he gave his life… He left us here all alone.”  
  
“Hmn,” he pursed his lips together. Maya’s ramblings were wild. He had to find a way to curb how much information she was spouting off at once. "And who is 'we', Okamura-san?"  
"Sudou-kun and myself!" She said it so matter of fact, as if Goro should have always known that.  
“Uh-huh... Well then, tell me about his works, Okamura-san. Why was the clocktower important?”  
  
“Ah-haha!” The woman smiled a bit, “It’s been so long since I’ve spoken to someone about his genius!” She opened her notebook to show Goro the pages. “Akinari-kun was documenting the evolution of humanity! Together we were compiling the secretes of this world to bring humanity to its peak!”  
  
He watched as she flipped through the pages, too quickly for him to make sense of them. He could see graphs and sketches and long essays, but didn’t get a chance to study any of them.  
  
“We’ve grown stagnant, as a race. We’re overcome with selfishness, violence, apathy, contempt! She stopped on a page tapping it angrily with her fingers. Kegare mars the human soul! Its only through becoming Idealian can we rid ourselves of humanities faults!”  
  
“Wait, wait wait-!” Goro put his hand on the page, “Kegare? You know about that?”  
  
“Know about it!” She scoffed, “Akinari documented it, he documented everything that we needed to do to advance society. I helped him, researching and exploring Sumaru City. And Sudou-kun, he was both our pupil and our connection to the aliens!”  
  
“A-aliens?” Goro nodded, he’d have to disregard that. There _was_ are reason she was in a mental facility after all. “So, you were working with Sudou-san? He was Kashihara’s student correct? How, exactly, was he involved?”  
  
“The voices,” she turned the pages in her book, “He heard the voices of the Idealians. He provided us with the final clues of how to move humanity forward… They spoke to him. Akinari-kun documented it all. But-”  
  
Okamura stopped turning pages and leaned down now to speak to Goro, looking into his eyes. Her gaze sparkled with something ill; a completely lack of restraint and concern. It reminded him a lot of the dancing anger he saw in Tatsuya Sudou’s eyes for the brief moment that they met.  
  
“She came after him, so viciously… He lost faith in himself. She poisoned him with the Kegare of her soul. She was going to take everything from him, all he had left was Jun-kun. And she was going to take that too… So, he gave his life, to set things in motion. To stop the clocktower. Sudou-kun and I were to restart it when the time was right- to bring humanity to Idealian… But- but-“

She stopped talking, the woman fell silent. She slowly turned back to the window. Goro got up and looked out with her again. This time he could make out what her eyes were fixed on. A clock tower in the distance. The Seven Sisters Tower Akinari had tossed himself into.  
  
“Okamura-san, why didn’t you restart the clock tower?”  
  
“Sudou-kun failed to make the sacrifice… We lost the chance to start again. We lost everything…”  
  
“A sacrifice?” Goro looked down at the book in her hands, “Is that, a record of all Kashihara-san’s notes?”  
  
“Yes, yes it is…”  
  
“May I borrow it, Okamura-san?”  
  
The woman looked up at him and shook her head, “No. This, this is all I have left of him. I can’t give it to you.”  
  
“…Is there, any other copy of it somewhere? It’s very important to my investigation.”  
  
“Jun-kun has the original,” she nodded. “And Sudou-kun should also have his own notes.”  
  
“I see…” Well he certainly wasn’t going to ask Councilmen Sudou for a look at his notes. That left only Jun. Why was his luck so rotten?  
  
“You’ll arrest her, won’t you?” Okamura reached out and grabbed his wrist again, “She drove him to do it. She told everyone he was mad. She told them I was too… All we were trying to do was fulfill the prophecies they sent us. Sudou-kun and myself… We were punished for following Akinari-kun’s wishes. But she’s the one who’s wrong! Because of her humanity will never move forward!”  
  
“I- I promise, those responsible will be punished.”  
  
She let go of his wrist and they nodded to each other, “Okamura-san… For security reasons, could not let anyone know I came here. Uh, Kurosu-san is trying to stop my investigation.”  
  
“Of course she is!” She scoffed. “I won’t mention you… Not even to Sudou-kun.”  
  
“He comes to visit you?”  
  
“More recently than before,” she smiled fondly, “He says he’s found a way to try again. I pray that he’s right.”  
  
“Try again, huh…” He looked over to the flowers and approached the desk. Goro picked them up, if Sudou came by he really didn’t want there to be proof anyone was here. “Thank you for your help, Okamura-san.”  
  
Goro exited the room and made his way down the hall. He dropped the flowers into one of the vases of fake plants as soon as he had an opportune moment. On his way to the stairs he could hear chatter coming from one of the nurse’s desk. The sounds of two women and one man. The man’s voice sounded familiar. He slowed down as he approached and hugged the wall, doing his best to peak forward.  
  
His eyes fell on none other than Jinnosuke Sawada. He was standing at the desk with a woman wearing a flashy sun-yellow dress, heals, and a sweater. Around her neck she wore an elaborate scarf that matched the dress, it was wrapped around her neck in such away that she had formed it into a bow over her right shoulder, with the tails split over her shoulder. Her black hair was tied up in a bun on her head and she carried a red book in her hands. The one with the golden butterfly on the side. Jinnosuke was talking to the nurse flipping through a few charts and signing off on papers.  
  
He and the woman then turned and walked around the desk to go down the opposite hall.  
  
Goro approached the desk and immediately looked down at the paper work Jinnosuke left.  
  
“Can I help you?” The nurse reached out to grab the clipboard but Goro put his hand on it, leaning forward to talk to her.  
  
“Does Dr. Sawada have patients here?”  
  
“That’s really none of your business.” She pulled the clipboard back harder, however he persisted.  
  
Goro’s eyes glanced down the list quickly, trying to take in as many of the names and medications as he could, “It’s just that he works at Hiiragy Therapy doesn’t he? What’s he doing here?”  
  
“Will you give me that!” She finally pried it away from him with a huff.  
  
Goro tapped his chin and looked at her curiously, “Was the Okamura on that list Maya Okamura? Can you tell me, how long he’s been treating her?”  
  
“I can tell you that if you don’t leave immediately I’ll be calling security!”  
  
“Yes, of course…” Goro nodded to her, he forwent the smile this time. As he turned to walk away he pulled out his phone and made a quick note of everything he could read off the clipboard. He then started to search for the medication he’d seen my Maya’s name.  
  
“ID-12 Alianiv… Comes up as nothing?” He put his phone in pocket. An experimental drug, perhaps? A problem more than likely. He supposed for right now he’d set his sights on getting that book from Jun.  
  
But first he had to meet up with Akira.

__  
_ _

__  
_ _

The rest of the day went by surprisingly fast. Goro spent his afternoon looking up anything he could on the strange medication and Dr. Sawada.

He found nothing on the medication. Not even a passing mention in a scientific journal.

Sawada did come up quite a few times though. Graduated from Fukuoka University majoring in pharmaceuticals before attending a separate university for psychology. He’d held a government job at one point working in a low-level position in drug regulation, testing and development. Left and bounced around a few hospitals before coming to Sumaru City where he came to Hiiragy Therapy, but worked in conjunction with Morimoto for his more ‘severe’ patients.  
  
It wasn’t by chance that Dr. Sawada was treating Maya Okamura. Or that Kashihara’s work mentioned Kegare. The very thing that Chizuru was scamming people into warding off.  
  
And all of them hang out with Sudou. But why? He had plenty that tied them together, but still no WHY.  
  
Why was this linked to the murders? Why were they all linked together?

As long as the ‘why’ behind their actions evaded him he was at a disadvantage. And that irritated him. The longer he dwelled on it, the more annoyed he became. By the time seven thirty rolled around that annoyance had begun to show on his face.  
  
Goro stood at the entrance to Aboa Park, arms crossed and lost in thought. His eyes were cast down and his jaw kept tight as he ran over everything he knew again and again. It would be more helpful if Tatsuya would tell him more. But the man didn’t trust him. He could consider gaining Chief Shimazu’s trust… There’s obviously a connection there, but that would only confirm Tatsuya’s need to keep his distance.  
  
Not to mention what harm it could cause the Suou’s if he started working with the police chief. He wasn’t out to get them. They already had enough problems.  
  
Akira already had enough problems.  
  
Goro squeezed his lips together and shook his head. Akira’s problems weren’t his worry about though.  
  
“Hey!” he raised his head to see Akira riding up to him. The teenager came to stop, bag slung over his shoulder with a little white cat paw sticking out of a freshly torn hole. “Sorry if I kept you waiting.” Akira smiled at him.  
  
But Goro could only manage to feel his lips pull at the sides. He decided to come here, but it still felt… strange.  
  
It felt strange, watching Akira dismount his bike and start talking about how he had to beg Jun to leave the house. About how his friends had been blowing up his phone all day to come see them, and he turned them all down. He followed Akira into the park, listening, nodding, giving an appropriate noise of confirmation here and there.

But he didn’t feel right. Conversations with Akira didn’t go the way Goro was used to. He had no control over them, over Akira. When they were together, it was always the same, he had no idea what to do. He had no power here. Something was wrong with them; with him. For all his banter, hadn’t Akira been sick yesterday? Why was he fine today? Why was he here?  
  
It was another ‘why’ he didn’t have an answer to.

Akira stopped walking, “Okay… So, what’s wrong?”  
  
“What?” the brunette’s eyebrows raised at the question. “Nothing is wrong.”  
  
“You’re not saying anything…” Akira stopped leaning his bike to the side. “You usually have something to say- That I’m wrong. Or being annoying. Or ask me why I’m doing ‘this’.”  
  
“Well…” Goro crossed his arms as his sentence trailed off. He could ask him why, maybe he should? But really the question was why was _he_ doing this? Putting himself in a position where he was vulnerable to another person's whims?

Akira tilted his head to the side, and Goro caught some glint in his eye. Another bit of mischievousness? Or excitement? More than likely mockery.  
  
“Do you even know what ‘this’ is, Akechi-kun?”  
  
The detective started to open his mouth, and then shut it. He stared back at Akira for more than ten seconds before uncrossing his arms and motioning to the bushes. “Suou, Will you just, get on with it. Let’s go sit so you can tell me about how you drove everyone mad with worry yesterday!”  
  
Akira smirked at him, and by god Goro felt an urge to smack the other boy. The black-haired boy turned away uttering that ‘he has no idea’ as he locked his bike up to a tree and started walking through the grass.  
  
“Smug jackass…” Goro muttered behind him as Akira took him out to sit in the grass near the concert hall.  
  
At least they were here early enough that there was still some light.  
  
Akira set down his bag and let Morgana out to stretch his legs. The cat circled them a few times before something caught his attention and he wondered off into the bushes. Goro sat, crossing his legs and Akira sat next to him, but facing the other direction, his legs stretched out and ankles crossed. He had to turn slightly, putting his hands behind his back, to look at him.  
  
“So!”  
  
“Yes,” Goro responded, “So…”  
  
And then there was silence.  
  
“How’s the case going?”  
  
“You know I’m not going to tell you anything about it, so why even ask?” he scoffed.  
  
“Okay, okay…” Akira tilted his head back and hummed in thought.  
  
“Why did you run yesterday?” Goro watched Akira as he tilted his head back. He wondered if that position was uncomfortable. If he kept going his head was going to be upside down. He did have something of a long neck, maybe it didn’t bother him to roll his head back like that.  
  
Akira turned to look at him, “I didn’t want to go to Morimoto Hospital. It’s a death sentence… A slow one. If it comes to that, I’d rather kill myself and go quickly.”  
  
Goro reached up to put the palm of his hand to his mouth as if wiping something away. “That’s a dreadful thought. You shouldn’t joke like that.”  
  
“I’m not joking.” Akira pulled his head up. That amusement from his eyes was gone now, but they were still fixated on Goro. “I told you yesterday I thought about it.”  
  
“I-” Goro took a deep breath. “That’s very irresponsible of you then. To just say you’re going to kill yourself. What about your family and friends?”  
  
Akira shrugged at Goro’s words. He was still staring at the detective. “Jun and Tatsuya will get on alright without me… And everyone else is moving on after this year. I don’t, really have a life anyway-”  
  
“Don’t be an idiot,” Goro cut him off. He felt genuinely upset at Akira’s words. “You have a life. Friends and family who love you. People that are worried about you. Besides, hasn’t Jun been through this once before? You’d make him relive having a family member kill themselves? You’d make him do it twice?”  
  
Akira paused, he pushed himself to sit upright and huffed, “I wouldn’t leave a body. I wouldn’t do it someplace they’d find me-”  
  
“-So they spend all their lives looking for you?” Goro frowned, his expression scrunching up with disgust “You’re a coward.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“You’re a coward! It’s something cowards do, when they give up. Just because things get hard, or you feel like life is unfair, so you just give up- and leave it. And then you leave everyone else behind to- to deal with your shit!” He pointed at Akira, “You’re a coward.”  
  
There was another pause as Goro’s words sank in. He could see Akira was thinking them over because other boy’s face changed from his usual blank stare to a scowl.  
  
“You, you have no idea, what I’m going through. What’s wrong in my life. You can’t call me a coward just because you don’t understand.”  
  
“Oh, I don’t understand?” Goro put his hands on is hips and straightened himself up as he mockingly spoke to Akira. “What’s not to understand? Your two loving parents? Your concerned and die-hard friends? The ones who attack anyone who even so much as looks at you? The extended family on non-blood relatives that love you like their own- Oh! The roof over your head? The care? The attention? What’s so over whelming for you? Being wanted and loved by everyone around yo-”  
  
“-Shut up!” Now Akira turned to face him, pulling his legs around to sit on his knees. “You think any of that fixes things? Fixes- Fixes this!?” Akira tapped the side of his head. “I thought you were a genius? You can’t even understand someone who’s sick.”  
  
“You’re not sick!” Goro shouted back at him. “You’re just- you’re just pissy and sad! Get over it! Just stop thinking about it and get on with your perfectly normal life and it will go away!”  
  
“Oh yeah?” Akira leaned in, getting closer to the detective’s face, as if proximity would make him back down.  
  
“Yeah! I mean- Yes!” Goro nodded firmly, he was glaring as hard as he could at the other boy.  
  
“Is that what you told yourself?” Akira leaned forward again, however, he was no longer shouting and Goro hesitated. “Well, is it?”  
  
“W-what do you mean?” The brunette backed up a bit on the grass feeling uncomfortable as Akira leaned in.  
  
“You threw it away. My bottle of Sertraline. It’s for depression. It’s the only one you tossed. So… Is that what you tell yourself? Just don’t think about it, and it goes away?”  
  
Goro felt his mouth open once, but no sound came out. He closed his lips together and swallowed as Akira stared him down.  
  
“Did it go away, Akechi?”  
  
He didn’t move away, even as Goro didn’t answer. The detective kept his eyes on him; his hands grabbing as his knees.  
  
“Yeah, I didn’t think so…” Akira finally pulled back and fell backwards onto the grass, looking up at the sky.  
  
Goro sighed, feeling his body release its tension now that Akira had backed off. That had escalated to someplace he didn’t mean to take it. But conversations with kira always went places he didn't want them to. He had no control... He looked down at Akira and felt each proceeding breath become shorter and shorter. Why could he effortlessly make him feel this way. Like he was wrong?  
  
Perhaps this was a mistake? What was he doing here?  
  
“M-maybe I’ll go for tonight.”  
  
“So who died?” Akira payed his announcement no mind.  
  
“Excuse me?”  
  
“Who died and left you?” The black-haired boy turned his head to look at him. “You were really pissed about it. When I said I was going to kill myself. Most strangers think I’m joking. Or over react and want to call the hospital. You were mad. Kind of never seen that before… Except in Pops. And like you said, he’s been through it before… And I’m asking you, who died?”  
  
“N-no one,” Goro looked away. He could feel Akira’s eyes tearing through that lie. But he still offered it up. “I was just mad, because I- see it so much. In my line of work. And the families left behind… It’s selfish.” He turned back to Akira, speaking earnestly. “They suffer, no matter how you do it. They suffer. They’re left with questions, of what did they do wrong? What could have been done more? Why weren’t- they enough to keep you here? Were they so terrible that life wasn’t worth going on…”  
  
He lowered his eyes, and took a long sigh.  
  
“It’s not about other people, Akechi,” he didn’t raise he head to look at him. “It’s about yourself.”  
  
“Yeah…?” Goro shrugged. “Tell the survivors that. See if it changes anything…”  
  
This time Akira’s hand came into Goro’s line of sight. The other teenager had lifted it off the grass and held it out to him. However, Goro didn’t take it. So instead Akira pat the grass on the spot beside him. With a sigh, the detective took him up on the invitation, lying down in the grass beside him. He absently thought about the stains that were going to form on the back of his shirt, but that was for later. This was now.  
  
“…So?” Goro spoke up, staring up at the sky as the last bit of light started to fade away. “What now?”  
  
“Whatever we want,” Akira shrugged, causing the grass to rustle under him. “Yusuke and I used to talk about his art.”  
  
“Yusuke… You've mention him before. But I’ve never met him?”  
  
“He moved away- Well he was moved away. His teacher, caretaker? Never really liked me or any of us. And after the trial- boy he really didn’t like me. Told Yusuke I would snap one day, break his hands. Ruin his career. But, you know, we still hung out.”  
  
“So, he moved him to keep him from you? Seems a bit extreme…”  
  
Akira sighed, “It’s the short version, really. There was more to it. Yusuke and I, we were a like. Life wasn’t fair. And he was weird. He talked about the colors of things that don’t exist. And I see things that don’t exist… Kind of worked out.”  
  
Goro turned his head, he stared at Akira, his expression confused. “Okay, what do you mean he ‘sees colors of things that don’t exist’?”  
  
Akira was looking up at the sky a grin on his face. This topic seemed to excite him. Goro almost felt upset that he was so happy again, over someone who wasn’t even there.  
  
“Okay, so see the sky? Right now, it’s kind of pink and blue and purple- is dusk. Basically night. Everyone thinks about those colors when you think of nightfall. But Yusuke would say crazy things like ‘nightfall is red and black giving way to white and some exact shade of blue that you’ve never heard of.” Akira held up his hands, “And then he’d tell you things like the sound of bell is snow white but the sound of bunch of bells fiery gold. And your name is black like a crow or my name is flicker of yellow light if I whisper it but if I scream it, it’s an array of whites and yellows like a sudden flash.”  
  
“Synesthesia,” Goro nodded. “Sound stimulates a visual response of color…”  
  
“Yeah! That!” Akira snapped his fingers. “He told me about in middle school. After I asked him about a painting he made. He said everyone else thought it was weird. Thought he was weird.” He turned to look at Goro, a smile on his face and distance longing look on his face. “I thought it was amazing… I’d give, anything to see what he saw. Yusuke’s world is, so much better than mine. It’s filled with, darkness and things trying to kill me… And now everyone says it’s getting worse.”  
  
“There are treatments, you know.”  
  
Akira shook his head, “I don’t want them. I- I kind of just want it to stop. That’s all. I don’t care how, I just want to wake up and see what everyone else sees.”  
  
Goro sighed as he watched Akira. He wondered if the other boy really understood what he was wanting. In order to achieve his desires, he needed treatment. The very thing he was refusing. However, he supposed that if he had a doctor like Sawada he’d probably feel the same. Goro turned his head back to the sky. The final bits of light were fading and the stars were coming into view.  
  
He wondered how long they’d lie here? He could hear Akira shifting in the grass, probably also turning to face back up at the sky.  
  
It was quiet. They were quiet. The silence was filled with an odd calm. He didn’t dislike it, he was familiar with it, but he’d never shared it with someone before.  
  
“…So…?” He asked, as if waiting for Akira to fill in the gaps the lingered in the air around them.  
  
“Well, I told you something. And I told you something last time too, so why don’t you talk for a change?”  
  
Goro pressed his lips together, his eyebrows coming together as he did so, “Talk? About what?”  
  
“Anything? Don’t you know how this works?”  
  
How this works? He still wasn’t sure what this was!  
  
“You’re annoying,” he blurted out.  
  
“Gee, thanks,” the other teenager snorted sarcastically. “If I’m annoying, why’d you come here?”  
  
“I- hmn,” Goro reached on hand up to push his bangs, causing them to hang backwards over his head. “I was tired. I am tired.” He waited, but when Akira said nothing he continued. “I’m tired of this city, I guess. I’m used to Tokyo, to the people there to Nijima and Okumura always asking me out, to classes, to annoying fangirls, to coffee with Sae-san… None of that is here.”  
  
He took a deep breath and sighed.  
  
“I thought you didn’t like those things?”  
  
“I don’t, well baring coffee with Sae-san… And her sister and Okumura are alright. I guess I just-” Goro stopped midsentence and turned to look at Akira. “I don’t belong here. Everything I even vaguely belong to is back in Tokyo. And it really shouldn’t matter. I have to constantly fight to prove that I belong there. I’m too young to be working the cases I take- I’m too smart to hold myself back at this level, I’m too popular to hang out with normal college students I’m too nothing special to run with the crowd that’s always in the spot light- I just don’t belong anywhere. And I guess I was just feeling tired of being reminded of that.”  
  
“Everyone here is going out of their way to remind me so I figured why not spend the evening with the weirdo who won’t leave me alone.” He shrugged.  
  
“…You don’t belong anywhere?” Akira adjusted his glasses, his lips almost turning down into a frown. “What about your family?”  
  
Goro blinked a few times, “They’re not really, around. My father in fact, doesn’t recognize me when he sees me.”  
  
Akira sat up quickly. He pushed himself up so suddenly Goro almost thought something was wrong. He got up after him, looking around. “What, what is it?”  
  
“You can belong here then,” Akira pointed down at the ground. “With us! My friends and I-”  
  
“Your friends? The ones who don’t want me around, at all?”  
  
“They’ll come around,” Akira nodded. “We’re all a group that kind of doesn’t work well with the rest of the world. So, it’s a perfect fit.”  
  
“Hmm,” Goro shook his head in disbelief. “Well, this was a mistake. I didn’t mean to give you that impression.”  
  
“Akechi-”  
  
“Look, I- No, I don’t want to spend time with them. I don’t even think I want to spend time with you after tonight. I just came because I was tired.” He pushed himself to sit up, half smiling as he sighed. “But I’m not looking for a place to ‘belong’ or anything. I’m fine on my own. I just wanted to see what this was about.”  
  
“You still haven’t figured out what this is, have you?”  
  
Goro turned look him in the eye, “It’s nothing. As I thought.”  
  
“Sure,” Akira shrugged. “But you keep coming back. So it’s a nothing that’s gotten your attention.”  
  
The gesture earned a sigh out of the detective. “Well this has been fun, but I’m leaving you now.”  
  
“Do you want to come back and talk some more tomorrow?”  
  
“No,” Goro got to his feet and started dusting himself off.  
  
“It doesn’t have to be here, we could get something to eat.”  
  
“Akira, drop it. Tatsuya-san doesn’t even want me to spend time with you to being with.”  
  
“Really!?” Akira’s face lit up, and he gave the detective an over enthusiastic and sarcastic response, “Well then we have to do this again!”  
  
“Ugh, you’re insufferable,” Goro frowned down at him. “Come on, get up so I know you went home. I don’t want your absence to hinder our investigation again.”  
  
Akira shook his head, “I have to wait for Morgana.”  
  
“The cat?” Goro looked around, indeed, the animal was gone. “Just, call him or something… Isn’t he always with you?”  
  
“Sometimes he wonders off,” Akira motioned out over the bushes. “He probably picked up his girlfriend’s scent and went to find her.”  
  
“The cat has a girlfriend?”  
  
Akira shrugged, “Sort of. She’s a gorgeous stray cat that wonders around here some nights. Kind of makes me wish he wasn’t fixed. They’d have beautiful kittens. Between his blue eyes and her purple ones, it’d be a great combo.”  
  
“I can’t believe you’re invested in your cat’s lov- wait,” Goro got back down, crouching on one knee, “Did you say purple eyes? Is it a black cat?”  
  
“Yeah,” Akira nodded, “Have you seen her?”  
  
“How often is that cat here?”  
  
“I dunno… She just shows up every now and again. She’s a stray and this is just one of her spots.”  
  
Goro looked away from Akira, scanning the bushes. There was no way there were two cats in this city with purple eyes. But why is Chizuru hanging around the park at night?  
  
“…You know what, Akira,” he turned to other teenager. “I think I will come back, again.”  
  
“What? Why now?”  
  
“Does it matter?” Goro shrugged at the end of his sentence, gently shaking his head. Akira hesitated before also shaking his. “Great. Then let’s do this again tomo-”  
  
“Let’s get something to eat tomorrow,” Akira cut him off.  
  
The brunette hummed for a second but nodded, “As long as we come here afterward. After every time, I want to come back to the park.”  
  
“…Are you going to tell me why?”  
  
“Do you really care, you’re getting what you want right?”  
  
“I guess, but not for the right reasons.” Akira twisted a lock of his hair around as he thought on Goro’s offer. “Fine, every time we hang out, we’ll come back to the park.”  
  
“Perfect, Suou-san! I’m looking forward to it!”  
  
Goro smiled. He was going to figure out what all of this was, one way or another.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear to you at SOME POINT in this story I'm going to fuck up Okamura and Okumura and that is NOT ON ME THAT IS ON THE PERSONA TEAM FOR THEIR BS NAMING CONVENTIONS.
> 
> Anyways! In case you didn't see the place holder note...
> 
> I was in some crap last month with my card information being stolen and then all my money being used on bullshit. Like -900 in my bank account bullshit. unable to pay my bills and the same bank that KNEW those charges were fraudulent also telling me that I had X-days to get current or they'd close my account and report it to the credit bureau. Like- I was having a GREAT October. I highly recommend it to everyone, the stress level is super exciting!
> 
> I never want to go through that again.


	16. Days Spent with Him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's ready for a chapter full of dumb teenagers out on dumb dates? Because SOMETHING happy needs to happen in this story, am I right?
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

The next morning Goro stood in front of the full length mirror hanging on the back of his hotel room’s door. He was adjusting his gloves and making sure his appearance was neat as always- as he feared the grass and dirt from the park had stained his shirt last night, but right now that was neither here nor there.  
  
Spending time with Akira once again proved to be useful. As much as he hated to admit it. Still, if Chizuru spent time in that park after hours, Goro was going to find out why. It could be nothing…  
  
But it could be _everything_.  
  
He grabbed his suitcase and departed for the Konan police department just as always. He’d stick to his routine until it was time to see the other teenager. He didn’t gain anything by acting suspicious. He’d continue with his investigation until six, when he was supposed to meet up with Akira in Hirasaka for dinner. This approach to solving the case was different than any other he’d taken.  
  
He usually didn’t rely too much on others for clues, but he needed Akira. More specifically he needed Morgana. Goro had considered just staking out the park on his own to see if he could spot Chizuru on his own, but Aboa Park was fairly large- not even including the concert hall area. The chance that he’d pick the right spot to sit and watch for her was slim.  
  
But Akira’s cat would go right for her’s, and since she seemed to keep it close by at all times it would narrow his investigation area greatly.  
  
Of course he could ask to borrow Morgana, but he had a feeling the cat would be unruly and uncontrollable, much like it’s owner.  
  
“Hopefully it won’t take long, and then I won’t have to subject myself to this much longer.”  
  
On his way into the police station he was stopped by Sylvia who was making her way out.  
  
“Oh! Tokyo!” Goro cringed at the nickname, but the American woman didn’t seem to notice. “Glad I ran into you, Tatsuya’s waiting for you up in his office!”  
  
“Suou-san is here already?”  
  
Sylvia let out a chuckle, “Tatsuya is _always_ here when he’s on a case. He goes home to sleep and eat… Sometimes just sleep. Go on, catch him before they leave!” The woman continued on her way, but her choice of words confused him.  
  
They? Who was ‘they’?  
  
He made his way up to Tatsuya’s office; just outside the door he could hear a woman speaking loudly. Her tone was joking, but he didn’t hear Tatsuya laughing. Goro knocked on the door before pushing it open.  
  
Sitting in the chair across from Tatsuya was the red-headed woman from Kismet Publishing. She sat, leaning back in her chair, with one of her feet up and pressed against the front of the detective desk. They both turned to greet Goro as he entered the room.  
  
“So you _do_ knock on doors!”  
  
“Akechi, come in,” Tatsuya motioned to the woman across from him, “I believe you’ve already met if I have my facts straight, but let me reintroduce you to Serizawa, Ulala. She works as a private investigator. Specializes in missing persons.”  
  
“Yes, we met at Kismet a few days ago. You’re friends with Akira’s Aunt,” he nodded at her, ignoring her door comment.  
  
“That’s right,” she nodded, “Though really, why I don’t get aunt status too-”  
  
“You weren’t there Ulala,” Tatsuya shook his head arms folded on the desk.  
  
“Yeah, but I help with Akira just as much… Come on, I’m the embodiment of a cool aunt!”  
  
Tatsuya raised his hands and folded them under his chin, “I didn’t know ‘cool’ and ‘drunk’ were synonyms now…”  
  
“Ugh, You’ve been talking to Baofu too much. I’ve your brother on speed dial, you know. Don’t cross me.”  
  
“Just ask Akechi your questions, Ulala.”  
  
Ulala took her foot down and leaned over the arm of the chair with a smirk, “So hear you’re pulling your weight. That’s good, if you were giving Ta-chan trouble I’d have to make you my new punching bag.”  
  
“I assure you, I’m very serious about my work,” Goro nodded at her. He wasn’t sure about that threat or the bit of banter between them. They seemed to know each other well enough, but Serizawa was an outsider to the Suou’s circle. Or at least Tatsuya’s. “What questions did you have for me?”  
  
Ulala got up and fished a picture out of her pocket. She held it out to Akechi. The image was of a heavy-set girl, with a round face. She had ear length hair dyed bright pink and held back by an array of clips and barrettes. She had a lot of makeup on, in soft pastel tones over her eyes, lips and cheeks. She was wearing a navy-blue school blazer.  
  
“This is Shimizu, Chihiro. ‘Mizu-chan’ to her friends. She’s missing. You were one of the people she encountered the last day anyone hear from her.”  
  
“Me!?” Goro took the photo and looked at her closer, combing through his memory. “…Outside of Gatten Sushi. She swung open the door-”  
  
“Correct! That’s what her friends said anyway. They were across the street. Said she went into the sushi shop and in the doorway nearly-” Ulala stopped and pulled out a pad, more than likely had her witness notes on it. “Nearly ‘ran into some nerd in a terrible blue argyle sweater. He looked our age. But oh jeeze that sweater,’” Ulala looked up at him.  
  
She had a slight smirk on her face, and he wasn’t sure if that was because he could feel his own twisting slightly in annoyance.  Goro shook it off and smiled at her, “That could have been anyone.”  
  
“They also described your hair, mentioned the black gloves and said Akira made his way down the street to catch you not long after you left.”  
  
“Ah,” for a moment Goro’s eyes glanced over at Tatsuya to gauge his reaction before going back to Ulala. “Anyway, she’s missing?”  
  
“That afternoon was the last time her friends saw her. They spent more time together after the sushi shop, but I’m interviewing everyone she spoke to. Trying to find out if she mentioned anything strange. She never went home, and that was three days ago counting today.”  
  
Goro shook his head, “I’m sorry, Serizawa-san, I only recall her being angry about the fact that we collided. She did seem worried about her nose being broken… After that she made her way to Takamaki-san screaming at the top of her lungs.”  
  
“So nothing struck you as odd about her? Nothing stood out?”  
  
He shook his head, handing back the picture, “Just that she was extremely rude.”  
  
“Damn,” she stuck the photo back in pocket and sighed. “I was really hoping Tokyo’s genius detective would have something. But I guess even an ace like you can’t catch something odd on a chance meeting.”  
  
“I told you so,” Tatsuya finally spoke up. “Sylvia is looking into missing persons that come into the office. I told her to check out Karukozaka High School and ask her teachers.”  
  
“Thanks, I appreciate it,” Ulala turned back to the senior detective.  
  
Tatsuya shrugged, “You’re helping me with the Okibo murder, so it’s the least we can do. Besides, at this point all missing persons are a risk for another victim in this case…”  
  
“I can help ask around about her.” Goro offered his services.  
  
“Don’t worry about it, Akechi. We don’t know if she’s connected or not yet. I’d rather you’d focus on things we know are linked to the case.”  
  
“Right…”  
  
“Well then!” Ulala raised her hand as she bid them fair well, “I’ve got work to do. Best of luck!”  
  
As soon as the woman left, Goro’s eyes fell on Tatsuya. He was looking at him, rather looking right through him. Much the same way Akira did.  
  
“What’s going on with you and my son?”  
  
“Huh?” Goro’s eyebrows raised as he shook his head, “Nothing. He just invited me out to make up-”  
  
“Make up for splashing you the first day. Jun told me.” Tatsuya paused but continued to stare at him. It was unnerving and silent. The man wasn’t flicking about that signature lighter like he usually did when in thought. “I don’t know why you’re here.” He broke the silence. “If you’re here to solve this case, or create a problem. You seem like you mean well, be every time I hear you’re off with Akira I can’t help but suspect the later.”  
  
“Suou-san, I promise you I’m just-”  
  
“Listen,” Tatsuya held up his hand, “As long as you’re working I don’t have a problem with you. But nothing about this case involves my son. So, if you’re trying to get to me through him for Shimazu’s sake you’re going to find yourself in a bad place. Having a bad time. Got it?”  
  
“I-I promise you, Suou-san, I’m on your side. These, things with your son, it’s all just chance. Honest.”  
  
Tatsuya stared at him. Goro could clearly see he didn’t believe him.  
  
“Fine,” he stood up, “Try not to cause any trouble today, I’ll catch up with your findings later.” With that he left, walking past Goro and leaving him alone in the room.  
  
The brunette exhaled and tilted his head back.

 

 

As Goro stood outside Kameya Alley waiting for Akira he felt paranoid. Though he saw no one else from the investigation team for the rest of that day, he was now extremely nervous about meeting up with the black-haired boy.  
  
The last thing he needed was from someone to tell Tatsuya they were hanging out again, right after he threatened him that morning.  
  
The detective’s protective nature of his family was admirable. And why shouldn’t he want to keep them safe? If he had a family he would want to do the same… But he wasn’t spying on him through Akira. He didn’t want to be the chief’s spy. He just wanted the truth.  
  
“Akechi!” he jumped at the sound of his name. Akira was walking up, bag over his shoulder and hands in his pockets.  
  
“Could you keep it down?” Goro glanced around, just expecting to see Tatsuya or someone who knew him within ear shot. “Don’t yell my name, alright?”  
  
“But you weren’t paying attention…” Akira also looked around. “Are you hiding from someone?”  
  
“No,” he huffed. “Let’s just get our food and head to the park.”  
  
“Hmn,” Akira tapped his foot on the ground as he looked the other teenager over. “You know you’re really kicking off this date with a bad vibe.”  
  
“It’s not a date!”  
  
“Hey,” Akira pointed at him, “You said last night, I get what I want so long as we go to the park each night, right? Well, I want a date. So, this is it.”  
  
Goro rolled his eyes, “That’s rather manipulative of you.”  
  
“And your actions aren’t?” Akira shrugged. “Come on, we’re eating at the ramen shop today.”  
  
Akira lead the way up the street, walking slightly in front of Goro, who kept glancing around. Now that they were together he was even more paranoid he was going to get caught. Akira took them to a little restaurant called Shiraishi Ramen. The proprietress was an older woman that hid her face behind a pair of sunglasses.  
  
After they ordered their meals, which Akira insisted he cover, and found a seat. Akira told him that she hid her face because she’s a former secret agent.  
  
“Everyone says if you order of the special menu she’ll sell you weapons.”  
  
Goro snorted, spinning his ramen around its bowl as he listened, “You all must be very bored in this town if you have nothing better to do than spread rumors about the old shop keepers.”  
  
Akira shrugged as he slurped up a portion of his food, “There are tons of rumors in this city. Some are older than my folks.”  
  
Goro swallowed a few noodles before speaking again, “How many of them are supernatural or occult based?”  
  
“More than I can remember,” Akira licked his lips, “So what do you think?”  
  
“It’s alright… I’ve had better.” The sushi they had the other day was actually better. But he wasn’t stepping back into that shop, Tatsuya would know instantly that he and Akira were hanging out. And that’s not what he needed.  
  
“Don’t tell Ryuji, this is his favorite place to come eat.” Akira laughed.  
  
Goro looked down at his bowl idly thinking before he took another bite. “Suou-san. Your grandfather, has a record of some of the occult things in this city, right?”  
  
“Yeah, he wrote it all in book… In- In-lock-something. Pops has it.”  
  
“Do you think he’d let me borrow it?”  
  
Akira laughed, “No. Never. It sits on a shelf in my folk’s room, no one touches. Not even me.”  
  
“I see,” Goro resumed eating his food. There was no way after this morning he was going to get that book honestly. Wasn’t Akira prone to thievery? Maybe he could convince him to take it. Oh, but then he’d be doing exactly what Tatsuya accused him of. Using his son against him.  
  
Well it’s for a greater good so it shouldn’t matter, right?  
  
“Akira!” The boys raised their heads, Goro faster than the other out of fear, to see Shiho in the doorway of the shop. Ann was right behind her. He felt less nervous that it was just Akira’s friends, but still anxious that they had been seen.  
  
The two girls walked up to them, “We didn’t know you’d be here today.”  
  
“Yeah, you told us you were too busy to come help ask around about Mizu-cahn,” Ann crossed her arms. She was doing her best to look annoyed, but she was fighting with her lips to not smile.  
  
“Sorry, I told Akechi I’d take him out today.”  
  
“I see,” Shiho however did not fight back her faint smile. “Did you two spend yesterday together, too, is that why you didn’t come to the Hideout?”  
  
Akira nodded.  
  
Goro leaned back in his seat, opting to interject rather than let Akira and his friends talk about their arrangement like it was more than just business. “You two are asking about Shimizu-san? Isn’t that a job for the police?”  
  
“Oh, you heard about her? Well that makes sense,” Ann twisted on of her ponytail’s around. “She’s a model for _Coolest_. Like me. And, well, we weren’t close, but we used to get along.”  
  
Shiho nodded, “She just started to change, suddenly. Really was upset all the time, especially with Ann. Was convinced she was stealing jobs from her.”  
  
“I feel really bad, the last time I saw her we fought… So, Shiho and I are asking up and down Kameya Alley! We’re going to find out what happened. I- I want her to be okay.”  
  
“That’s awfully kind of you,” Goro set down his chopsticks and tapped his chin. He started to think, tuning out Akira and his friends as they continued to talk. Shimizu had a sudden personality change before her disappearance. The same thing was said about Saito from _Coolest_. She was a teenager but they were linked by place of work. And Saito was linked to Yoshishita through Sawada. “Another connection… But no why? Or even how would you change people’s personalities…”  
  
“Huh?” Shiho looked down at Goro as he muttered to himself.  
  
He looked up at her eyes wide, “Sorry, I was just, musing out loud.”  
  
“Oh no, Akira, another Yusuke?” Ann turned to her friend laughing and holding her hand in front of her face. “What is it with you and eccentrics lost in their thoughts?”  
  
“Eccentric!” Goro frowned, he didn’t enjoy that Akira’s friends were laughing at him. Again.  
  
“Come on, Ann,” Shiho linked arms with her girlfriend. “We’ve got more places to go, we’ll come back after Akira’s date so we don’t bother them.” The girls waved to them, mostly to Akira really, and turned to leave.  
  
“This- this is not a date,” Goro called after them. But he was ignored. He looked back at Akira who smiled at him. “What?”  
  
“Nothing, just thinking you look kind of cute, flustered and annoyed.”  
  
“Wh-why you-,” as much as he wanted to admit he wasn’t flustered. Even he could feel his face was burning. But how could it not after Akira’s friends accused them of going out? “Just, finish your food, Suou, so we can go.”  
  
“Whatever you say, darling,” Akira answered him with a coy smile as he continued to eat.  
  
“Don’t do that.”

  
  
The park that night was unfortunately a bust. Goro kept his eyes on Akira’s cat the entire time, but Morgana never strayed from their side. At least they didn’t fight this time. Their conversations were kept civil, though stilted.  
  
He tried to maintain a bit more control on their conversations that night, much like how he tried to steer his conversations with adults. But Akira caught on quickly. His witty and sarcastic banter tapered off into short sentences and answering his questions with questions.  
  
It was annoying. He was annoying. Like he was born with the knowledge of how to push Goro’s buttons and make him regret ever thing that came out of his mouth.  
  
Perhaps wasting the night talking to him wasn’t the right way to go about this? Tomorrow he’d bring one of his books to keep himself entertained. At least then he could watch the cat and not have to struggle through reaching an understanding with the other teen.

 

  
  
  
**Akira:** We’re meeting today outside Smile Hirasaka. It’s the big indoor mall down the street from Kameya Alley. You can’t miss it.  
  
Goro reread his text from Akira as he stepped off the bus in front of a large multilevel shopping building. Since Tatsuya’s threat he wanted to be seen with Akira as little as possible. He told the other teenager he’d meet them at their destinations, rather than risk him coming to pick him up.  
  
It also spared him riding on the back of his bike.  
  
He looked over the mall parking lot, scanning to see if he could spot Akira anywhere, but he was nowhere to be found. Just as well, he supposed. It gave him more alone time with his thoughts. He’d spent the day trying to figure out who the strange woman he saw with Dr. Sawada at Morimoto was, but could find no information of her at Hiiragi Therapy. And asking around he came up with nothing. No one knew the doctor to have a girlfriend or family in town.  
  
He also still came up empty handed on the strange medication.  
  
The only thing he had learned was that the journalist Saito form _Coolest_ had done a few articles that featured the now missing teen model Shimizu. But he doubted Sawada would ever admit to being involved with the girl.  
  
He was brought out of his thoughts by a tap on the shoulder. At some point Akira had arrived and was now standing next to him.  
  
“You’re always spacing out when I find you.”  
  
“Why didn’t you say you were here?”  
  
“Yesterday you told me not to call your name, so I didn’t.” Akira rubbed the side of his neck.  
  
“Ah, yes, I suppose I did…” Goro was actually surprised the other teen was courteous enough to remember that.  
  
“So what’s that? One of the books from your bag?” Akira spoke pointing to the book and pad Goro was holding in one hand.  
  
“Ah, well-” he held it up, a slight frown on his face over the fact that Akira recognized it. A simple reminder that the first day they met the boy rifled through his things. “Yes, I brought it, so I’d have something to do tonight.”  
  
“Something to do? Other than talk to me?”  
  
“…Talking with you, doesn’t always go as planned,” his tone was slightly annoyed.  
  
“I see.” Akira turned from him and started walking into the mall. Goro supposed his statement was somewhat hurtful. He absently realized more often than not his real emotions came out in his statements to Akira. But he wasn’t here for him. He was trying to catch Chizuru. But, he supposed he could catch her without damaging Akira’s trust…

He followed the other teenager into the mall.  
  
They walked around the first floor in silence, Akira occasionally glancing into a few stores but never going in them. It wasn’t until they reached the second floor that Akira started to walk faster, as if he knew just where he wanted to go. Goro had to pick up his pace to keep up with him.  
  
The other teen led him to a costume shop of all places, directing Goro to follow him to a back wall covered with mask.  
  
“Here’s what’s on the agenda for today,” he motioned to the wall.  
  
“What? Are you going to a costume party or something?”  
  
“No,” Akira shook his head, “We’re going to find you a mask.”  
  
“What? Why?”  
  
“You’ll need one, for one of the places I want to take you. It’s required.”  
  
“How do you know I want to go to this place?”  
  
Akira shrugged. “I don’t, but I want to take you… So, you need a mask. We probably won’t go today. But soon.” The raven-haired teenager started scanning the wall.  
  
Goro only half looked it over. He wondered if all of this was a game to Akira? Insisting they were going out on dates; dragging him around to random places; mocking his serious approach to everything. He crossed his arms, tapping his fingers on the book in his hands.  
  
He found himself looking at Akira instead of the wall of mask. He was weird. This _-kid-_ surrounded by people who loved and adored him, but that wanted nothing to do with them. Yet, seemingly wanted everything to do with _him_. And he constantly found himself asking why? Why him?  
  
Why did someone like Akira want him around? When the entire world rejected the notion of who he was, why was it Akira that insisted he be there? Just thinking about it made it hard to breath. Made it feel like his stomach was turning itself over again and again. The entire affair was unnatural. From the way he looked at him, to the way he spoke to him, to the way he offered him a place to be.  
  
Goro felt like his breaths weren’t filling his lungs all the way.  
  
_“You can belong here then.”_

He didn’t want that. He didn’t want to belong here, with Akira. He was- even more of a social outcast than Goro. And on top of that he was insisting he was going to kill himself the other day. He didn’t want to belong to someone who might not be there tomorrow. He turned his head away, dropping his arms.  
  
Maybe if he was stable. If he was different. If tomorrow he’d wake up and didn’t feel like he had to hide behind fake smiles, and fight against unjust adults, and try desperately to piece together the pieces of a broken life he’d feel like he could belong somewhere. With this weirdo that wants him around.  
  
Akira _wants_ him around. But what good is that, if he’s just going to leave him?  
  
“Hey! Akechi!” The detective turned his head back around shocked that he’d drifted off into his thoughts. He turned so quickly that his face nearly collided with something red being held up to his face. He let out a slight yelp before stumbling back.  
  
“You alright?” Akria lowered the item in his hands. A red mask with a long-pointed nose.  
  
“Yes, yes I was just- thinking about the case.” He lied; wide-eyed and nervously looking at Akira. Trying to see if the other would accept his lie this time.  
  
“You’ve got to stop working all the time,” Akira shook his head. “Here, try this mask on.” It seemed like he was off the hook.  
  
Goro took it from him, eyeing it with suspicion. Did Akira think this fit him. He put it on, the weight from the nose made it feel weird. It wasn’t heavy, but it sat odd on his face. He looked at Akira; through the eye holes Akechi watched him tilt his head to the left and to the right before he smiled. And then started snickering.  
  
Goro grabbed the mask by its nose and pulled it off, “I’ll pick my own.”  
  
“No no no, that one’s great! Put it back on.”  
  
Goro hung it back up on the wall, and looked over the selection while Akira continued to laugh. His eyes fell on a black mask. The shape almost reminded him of the front of a helmet or a sentai mask, but it had a bit of a point to it. There were no holes for eyes, but the mask itself was somewhat translucent. And it had to curved horns attached.  
  
“This one,” he took it down from the wall and put it on. He looked at Akira who held his chin in his hands as he studied the other teen.  
  
“A little sinister looking, don’t you think?”  
  
“It’s better than that clown mask you suggested,” Goro shrugged. He liked it. It concealed most of his face, like he was hiding. He felt he could actually look Akira in the eyes like this not have the other teenager staring right through him.  
  
“I think it was more in line with a tengu.”  
  
Goro removed the mask, “I’m taking this one.”  
  
“Is this your admission to having a dark side?” Akira asked in jest, one eyebrow raised and smirk on his lips.  
  
“It’s my admission to having better taste than you. Is this everything?”  
  
Akira nodded, “Yup, we just had to get a mask before heading to the park.” He led Akechi up the counter a grin on his face.  
  
“You’re not going to tell me anything more about this mask-thing are you?”  
  
“Not at all,” he chuckled. “You’ll know when we go.” The clerk rang up their purchase, Akira paid for it. Just like he paid for their meal yesterday.  
  
Goro noted he couldn’t keep letting him foot the bill for these outings. It would probably feed into his thoughts on these little outings being dates. As they made their way back downstairs and out of the mall the pair came upon Akira’s cousin exiting a music store.  
  
The purple haired girl stopped to raise her hand, keeping one in her school blazer pocket.  
  
“Cuz!” She kept it up even as they came within reach of her.  
  
“Etsuko,” Akira stopped and high fived her hand. “Buying new equipment for your band?”  
  
“I’d love to, but it’s so expensive on my allowance,” She glanced back at the shop. “Think you could lift me a new tuner and a bridge?”  
  
Akira shook his head, “I have no idea what those are…”  
  
“I can show you which ones I need.”  
  
“Excuse me,” Goro looked down at her with a very serious stare, “You do know that I work for the police department.”  
  
Etsuko reached up and pushed her hair to fall to one side of her head before looking back at Akira and pretending to whisper, “You gotta break up with the copper, we can’t live like this.”  
  
In turn he pretend to whisper back to her, “Or I could keep in interested enough so that he never actually catches me.”  
  
“…Dangerous. I like it.” The middle schooler pulled back before pointing at Goro with a smile, “But for real, I’m here being an upstanding citizen.”  
  
“Are you now?” he didn’t believe that for a second.  
  
“Ann and Shiho asked everyone to canvas places Mizu-chan hung out. And she was way into shopping, so here I am. I just… You know got distracted by the music store.”  
  
“They’re still meddling in police affairs?”  
  
“They’re just asking around,” Akira chimed in, “I’m sure they’ll let Dad or Serizawa-san know if they find something.”  
  
“That’s right!” Etsuko nodded. “Well, I’ve got to get back to work. Officer. Cuz.” With that she walked off, glancing in the stores as she wondered away.  
  
“…You don’t really steal things for her, do you?” Goro watched her walking away as he asked. He noted Akira wasn’t responding, and he thought maybe the other boy didn’t hear him. However, when he turned to look at Akira it was clear he had. He was only offering up an oddly coy smile in Goro’s direction before insisting they should get going.  
  
“…Suou… Suou- are you really stealing things from these stores? Come back here and answer me.”  
  
Akira never did give him a straight answer. But considering he already knew the teenager picked locks and stole things from people he knew it wouldn’t surprise him. And yet somehow his friends labeled Goro the ‘eccentric’.  
  
At the park the detective watched Akira let Morgana out of the bag. The feline circled the area as Akira sat down. Goro remained standing, hoping to see it trot off to find it’s ‘girlfriend’ but no such luck. Morgana eventually made his way back to Akira and curled up next to him. The sight made him shake his head.  
  
He took a seat next to the two of them and pulled out his note pad before opening up his book.  
  
“So why did you bring that, tonight?”  
  
“Something to do while I wait.” He didn’t look up from his book.  
  
Akira scoot closer to him, trying to get a look for himself. “Talking to me is that boring?” Goro shrugged, but didn’t verbally answer. “Why do you want to find this cat so badly anyway?”  
  
“I don’t think it’s a stray. And I want to question its owner.”  
  
“Do you think the owner is the killer?”  
  
Goro looked up at him, “You know I’m not going to answer you.”  
  
“Fine, fine…” Akira moved closer again, his shoulder almost touching the detectives. “So, do you prefer mystery books or political books?”  
  
“I prefer silence.”  
  
Akira scoffed, “You’re not going to get it, so answer me.”  
  
Goro closed the book and turned to Akira, “I like mystery novels. It’s fun trying to solve the case before the truth is revealed. I’m sure that notion isn’t that uncommon.”  
  
“True, but you also take notes on the books?”  
  
“Well…” he lifted the pad, “I want to make sure that the mystery isn’t contrived. I prefer a book that’s written well. Not one where mystery was just a twist pulled at the end.”  
  
Akira leaned over adjusting his glasses, “You already have notes on this one? You’ve read it before?”  
  
“The author has a sequel coming out. I wanted to reread the first book and compare my old notes to any new observations. I know the ending, and its written fairly solid but it’s been a while. And going back over my tracks I can see if every clue I found really did fit into this story, or what was a red herring or if anything was contrived. If, over all I find my old work doesn’t fit up like I remember I won’t get the next one. I’m not going to buy or read a series where the mystery is just that the audience was denied information until the very end.”  
  
“Hmn,” Akira tilted his head and twisted a lock of his black hair, “You’re very serious, even when you’re having fun… Mind if I read it with you?”  
  
“Fine, but don’t expect me to tell you the ending.”  
  
Goro read faster than Akira, perhaps because he was familiar with the story already. After the twentieth time of him asking him to not turn the page he handed the novel to Akira to hold, and control the pace of their story. As the sun went down he used his phone as a flash light to keep the pages lit. Morgana, as all cats are wont to do, came to sit with his face at the edge of the book. And constantly pawed at the pages.  
  
They sat there for two hours, shoulder to shoulder turning pages in mostly silence, with Akira occasionally commenting on the story.  
  
The cat never left.  
  
“Alright, let’s stop after this chapter…”  
  
“What? Why?”  
  
“It’s getting late.  I have work and I’m pretty sure you are supposed to have school.” Goro closed the book in Akira’s hands. “Actually, I’m surprised you’re enjoying this.”  
  
“Why wouldn’t I?” Akira smirked, “I think the thief Arsene is great.”  
  
He rolled his eyes, “Of course you do. You do understand that he’s possibly the murderer, right?”  
  
“He didn’t kill that old man for his painting. There’s another thief, I guarantee it,” Akira got up pointing the book at Goro. “But it doesn’t surprise me you don’t like him, he’s too much fun. You’re completely straight laced, like Detective Sherwood.”  
  
Goro also got to his feet taking his book, “Someone died. He doesn’t have time to goofing around.”  
  
“You’re goofing around right now.”  
  
“I’m waiting for a suspect!”  
  
“While out on a date.”  
  
Goro raised the book like he was going to hit Akira with it, but stopped himself mid-swing and only ended up tapping him on the shoulder. “Here, take it.”  
  
“You’re giving it to me?”  
  
“Just to keep reading. Bring it back tomorrow, alright?”  
  
“Sure,” Akira took the book, “I’ll have to skip taking you out tomorrow, so let’s just meet up here.”  
  
“Why? What’s special about tomorrow?”  
  
“Councilmen Sudou is coming by the shop to pick up an order. I have to be there.”  
  
“Hmn,” Goro tapped his chin, “Don’t think it’s safe, do you?”  
  
“Well, no… I mean yes.” Akira rolled his neck for a second in thought, “He’s not dangerous to Pops and honestly that’s what the real problem is.” Goro wasn’t sure he understood what Akira meant by that statement. Sudou wasn’t dangerous to Jun, and that’s what the problem was?  
  
Guess he’d have to go by and see for himself.

 

  
  
  
  
Goro had to cut his investigation short the next day. It was Saturday, so he knew Akira would be out of school by midday. He had no idea what time Sudou was coming by the shop, but he figured that it had to be in the afternoon. He made sure that right after lunch he made his way to Rengedai to wait outside Hanakotoba.  
  
As he approached he was debating on if he was going to wait across the street or further down out of sight. Yet, as he got closer he could see a ‘closed’ sign on the door. Out of curiosity he went up to the shop and tested the handle.  
  
It was in fact closed. Had Akira lied?  
  
Just as he was turning away he heard a click behind him and Jun opened the shop door.  
  
“Akechi, need another bouquet?”   
  
“Ah no, actually I was just-”  
  
“Let him in, Pops! He’s here for me!” Akira called out from within the store. His response brought smile to Jun’s face. He let Goro in before locking up the shop again. Akira was standing at the back of the shop near several identical large bouquet arrangements with his arms crossed and a slight scowl on his face. The flowers behind him were an odd mix of colors, red daisies, orange lilies, and burgundy roses. The mixture was somewhat hard to look at…

“I’m glad you’re here now! So, I can tell you how much I hate Marion.”  
  
“What?” Goro stopped before realization lit up on his face, “Oh you mean the book…”  
  
“She’s clearly the murderer.”  
  
“What makes you say that?” Goro came to stand next to him, but kept glancing at Jun, taking in how Akira’s parent was watching their interaction. He wasn’t supposed to seen with him. And now Jun was watching them from behind his spot at counter.  
  
“I just, can tell. She shows up, happens to know all about the painting-”  
  
“She’s an art critic and historian. It’s her job.”  
  
“And she completely spends all her time distracting Detective Sherwood- the kiss she gives him isn’t even romantic. It’s to throw him off.”  
  
“I admit the romance is the story is weak, but I don’t read it for-”  
  
“No, no, it’s not weak, its intentional! She’s distracting him, so he won’t come after her.”  
  
“You mean like how Arsene sets up traps and plays games to distract him?”  
  
“Arsene’s tricks are to draw attention to himself. He enjoys being chased. Marion wants to keep everyone out of her life. She’s the murderer. She did it.”  
  
Goro laughed, “You’re making your speculations based on feelings. There’s also the curator, the security guard, the wife-”  
  
“It’s Marion.” Akira cut him off.  
  
“Well, I said I wouldn’t tell you the ending. You’ll just have to keep reading to find out if you’re right or not.”  
  
At the end of their discussion the sound of a car pulling up could be heard. Goro and Akira both turned to watch Jun leave from behind the counter. He stopped at the door for a moment to take a deep breath as if bracing himself before unlocking it.  
  
Before he could even pull it open, the door swung forward, and Councilman Sudou let himself in.  
  
Next to him Akira resumed his stance of crossing his arms and glaring indiscriminately. At a glance he appeared upset, but the longer Goro looked at Akira he realized there was something uncomfortable about his stance. His breaths were shorter and his hands were clenched tight.  
  
Jun pulled the door open further to lock it into an open position before stepping out to greet the other man.  
  
“Sudou-san, you’re early. But everything is ready. Akira, can you start carrying out the vases?”  
  
Goro noted the man hadn’t spoken since he entered. Instead he scanned the room, his one eye combing over everything before it fell on Goro. He noted he still had the same maddening, yet smug expression as the day they ran into each other in hallway at the police station.  
  
“Kashihara-kun,” Sudou finally spoke, “I see you have a new helper. The detective from Tokyo?”  
  
“Kashihara?” Goro muttered and looked at Akira. The black haired huffed; he turned and grabbed the first vase, his expression looked like he was struggling not to throw up.  
  
“Ah, Akechi has actually become friends with Akira. After we’re finished here they’re going out to eat.”  
  
“I see, still a child at heart, are you?” he rolled his eyes at Goro before turning back to Jun, completely ignoring the two teenagers. “You’re work is as beautiful as ever, Kashihara-kun.”  
  
“Suou.” Akira spoke up, loudly as walked by the two and out the door. But the comment went ignored.  
  
“It’s a shame you don’t have more customers. No one in this city, really appreciates your beauty like I do.”  
  
“Thank you, Sudou-san. But, I do just fine here. And my husband offers me enough appreciation.”  
  
“Yeah,” Akira said as he walked back in to grab another vase. “Pops, this would go faster if you helped me. We don’t want to keep you here waiting forever, after all Councilman.”  
  
“He’s right, Sudou-san. Let me help him, so you’re not late to your party.” Jun walked around the other man and moved to the back table to grab one of the vases. He and Akira both went outside leaving just Goro and Sudou in the shop.  
  
He should have just stood by and waited for the two to finish loading the man’s car, but he couldn’t miss this opportunity to open his mouth. And probably put his foot right into it.  
  
“Councilam Sudou,” he approached him, offering up his best smile, “Do you mind if I ask you a question or two?”  
  
“Yes, I do,” he turned to Goro, disinterest on his face, “I don’t have time for brats and their questions.”  
  
Goro let out a slight chuckle, “Well then, I’ll be quick about it. Are you close to Ishigami-san? The fortuneteller? Or Dr. Sawada?”  
  
“What does it matter to you if I am?” Up close, again Goro could see the patch of discolored skin and remembered the fires and death that surrounded this man.  
  
“Well each of them is connected to one of the victims of the serial killer… Doesn’t it concern you? You seemed concerned a great deal about this matter at the police station the other day.”  
  
“My concern is that Detective Suou keeps allowing people in this city to die.” He took a few steps toward Goro, prompting the teenager to take a step back right into the counter. “That should be your concern too. Shimazu-san had you sent here to put an end to Detective Suou’s failures. Not cause problems. And trust me,” he stopped to chuckle, or maybe it was he was stifling a laugh. Either way the smile that followed was everything short of human in Goro’s opinion. “You don’t me to hear that you’re causing us a problem.”  
  
“…And if you do?” Goro took a deep breath, at his side he felt his hands clench into fist.  
  
“Then, things would get a bit hot around here for you…”  
  
“Akechi,” Akira stood in the doorway, “We’re all done. I’ll be ready to go in a minute.”  
  
“Already finished?” Sudou turned away from Goro to look at Akira. Under his gaze the other teen tensed up, but he did his best to stand perfectly still. The man approached Akira, looming over him just like he did the detective. “How are you feeling? Any more _episodes_? It would be a shame if you assaulted another public figure, wouldn’t it?”  
  
Akira took a deep breath, “I can only think of one I’d hope to hurt.”  
  
At his words the man laughed, honestly this time. Akira visible blanched at the noise. Even Goro felt the sound pricked at his better senses. It wasn’t a happy sound or a mocking one. It was like a chorus of unstable and broken tones before he abruptly stopped.  
  
Jun came back in grabbing the shop door, “Sudou-san, you’re order is all loaded up… Is there a problem?”  
  
“None, Kashihara-kun,” he backed away from Akira, “I was just thinking, it’s a shame, he takes after the Suous so well.” He turned to Jun, stopping before leaving the store. “You can still come with me, to tonight’s event. It would be like old times.”  
  
“Thank you, but no thank you.” Jun responded, motioning outside, “My family needs me.”  
  
“For now, they do.”  
  
With that the man walked out. The moment he was over the threshold Jun closed the door and let out a very audible sigh. He then turned to Akira, “Did you pick a fight with him, again?”  
  
“He starts it…”  
  
“Akira, I don’t want him to come after you, alright? Just, keep it to yourself,” Jun walked over and put a hand on his head. “But thank you.”  
  
“Can we stop taking his orders now? Please? They’re all ugly anyway! Beauty and Hatred! Who is this party for!?” He threw his hands up in the air. “If it was for me I’d smash every vase in his face!”  
  
“I must admit,” Goro interjected, “It is rather odd you tolerate that man. All things considered, plus what I just saw. He’s completely rude and disrespectful…”  
  
“I know,” Jun waved them off. “I- I have my reasons. Besides, if I just refused him, he’d be even more persistent… Look why don’t you two leave to go- do whatever it is you have planned today. I can clean up on my own.”  
  
“Are you sure, Pops? What if he comes back?”  
  
“His car is already gone, Akira. Go on. Enjoy your afternoon. And I promise," Jun crossed his eyes, offering up a bright smile, "I didn’t see who you left with.”  


  
  
Once again, Goro found himself spending the late afternoon and into the evening with Akira. Their conversations drifting back and forth between the novel they we reading and Councilman Sudou. Mostly how much Akira hated him and how much the man’s very presence made his skin crawl. It was something they could agree on.

Morgana only wonder off a few feet this night before lying down on the grass and enjoying the fading sunlight.  
  
“That woman is never going to show….”  
  
“Woman?” Akira looked up from the book. “The stray’s owner?” Goro nodded. “Maybe you should give up. As soon as you do, the cat will show up.”  
  
“Well then, what will you do if I give up?”  
  
“Take you out on a real date.”  
  
“These aren’t dates, Suou. I won’t tell you again.”  
  
Akira shrugged, “Speaking of not dates,” he held up a page of the novel. “Read this section about Marion’s kiss to Sherwood. It’s terrible.”  
  
“I told you I don’t read it more the romance,” he pushed the book back down.  
  
“There’s more romance in Arsene’s taunts than this woman’s lips.”  
  
“Are you an expert on kissing now?”  
  
“I know more about it than this lady…” Akira closed the book and tilted his head back. “It’s not believable because the character has no passion. She’s so methodical and stale. I can’t believe she’d just give a spur of the moment lip lock.”  
  
“Hmn, you’re thinking with a bit more logic now, but I still think you’re looking at this mystery from an emotional stand point.”  
  
“What’s wrong with that?”  
  
“That’s not how cases are solved. Emotions are easily manipulated, controlled. People can be lead to blind anger, misguided guilt, false confessions… Emotions are controlled.”  
  
“So are facts,” Akira leaned over letting their shoulders touch, “On that I am an expert. I’d rather rely on my emotions than facts.”  
  
“You’re referring to your trial, right?” Akira nodded. “…Your situation is, not the norm.”  
  
“Are you sure? Look at Sudou. He’s clearly guilty, of many things. But he’s doing just fine. Facts are… fake. The entire system is. I actually find it kind of confusing that you believe in justice so much. You and my dad.”  
  
“Of course we believe; of course I believe. If I didn’t then the truth would never be exposed. Someone has to believe, not every case turns out like yours.”  
  
“Yeah, well, clearly not enough people believe…” Akira closed the book and sighed. His head tilted over to rest on Goro’s shoulder. “But I guess that’s why you like detective novels and characters like Sherwood, huh? Because he also believes. He’s so straight-laced and by the book. He believes it completely. It’s admirable… Pretty sure that’s why Arsene is so interested in him.”  
  
“You keep talking about the two of them-”  
  
“-Its clearly love.”  
  
Goro rolled his eyes, “You know, you’ve convinced me. There _is_ something wrong with you, mentally.”  
  
“Hey!” Akira sat up, and raised the book. Unlike the detective he didn’t hesitate to hit him with it. “Come on, do you just think about what the worst thing you can say to someone is and do it intentionally?”  
  
“Ow!” he rubbed his arm, “No. I was just joking…”  
  
“It’s not funny.” Akira handed him the book with a sigh. “So, we’re giving up, right?”  
  
“…” He took the book looking down at it. “One more night.”  
  
“One more?”  
  
He nodded, “I should at least let you finish this story, so you can see if you’re right or not.”  
  
“Okay, one more date night… Tomorrow is Sunday, so we can come here pretty early.”  
  
“Suou, I keep telling you these are not dates.”  
  
Akira tapped his chin, “You’re right, we’ve never done the proper date thing.”  
  
“The proper date thing?”  
  
Akira nodded, before leaning forward to look Goro in the eyes. He stopped for just a moment, a ghost of a smile on his lips as he took in the questioning expression on the brunette’s face. Goro felt that feeling coming back, like Akira was taking control of the situation in a way he couldn’t stop. His grey eyes were unreadable, beyond catching his own startled reflection in them. Was he looking at him, through him? Was he ever going to be predictable?

Somewhere during their short, but drawn out stare Goro stopped breathing. He opened his mouth to speak, to fill his lungs with air but succeeded at neither.

The moment his lips parted Akira leaned forward and sealed the date with a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like SOMEONE is going to be vaguely upset with me for this chapter's ending but ahhhh...
> 
> The next chapter and this one were once one, but like its so much it can just stand on its own. So for now just enjoy the boys nice quiet time together.


	17. Under Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey! So precursor warning for the next to chapters for some violence and gore. Don't look at me like that, this a murder story we can't have happy times forever! And be sure to check the end of chapter 18 for an important note.
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

When he first started high school Goro learned how to put on a tie.  
  
Due to his academic standing, and test scores, he managed to get himself into a rather prestigious prep-school. Really, he just pushed himself that hard to get out of his group home and into the school’s dorms. Later that year he’d publicly expose his pervious caretakers for such crimes as child abuse and miss-use of government funds, but that was an afterthought.  
  
What mattered right now that was he’d been twisting the knot of a tie at the base of his neck for years. The school offered a clip on, but he chose to take the actual tie. He wanted to learn how to do it. Because it’s what the adults wore; real adults. It meant you were serious, a hard worker, dedicated. His teachers and other adults he met were always impressed that he wore a real tie. And that he did it himself. Never mind that he spent the entire first night before his first day of school doing it over and over again to get it just right.  
  
He didn’t stop until he did it perfectly over a dozen times in a row.  
  
He could do it in his sleep. He even did it for a few officials around the Tokyo Special Investigations Department when they were struggling.  
  
Because he hadn’t struggled with it in years.  
  
Until this very moment when he kept choking himself.  
  
He undid the knot in frustration and ripped the cloth from around his neck with a irritated growl before leaning forward and letting his forehead rest against his hotel mirror. He’d done this just yesterday, standing in front of the same mirror. He’d done it for years in front of several mirrors. But today his hands didn’t work. His mind couldn’t remember what his fingers were supposed to do. He couldn’t even remember how it was supposed to look.  
  
All he could remember was that last night, that obnoxious, arrogant, lying, thief stole his first kiss.  
  
He should have punched him. Right in the eye, through his stupid glasses. Right into his grey, amused, mocking eyes.  
  
_“I wasn’t expecting you to be such a bad kisser.”_  
  
“I hate him,” Goro muttered to his own reflection. “Every time I’m alone with him- he does, something! SOMETHING!” He pushed off the mirror and walked away tossing the tie aside before sitting on his bed. He fell back with his knees hanging over the side and looked up at the ceiling. In the background the hotel room television was playing the morning episode of Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory. It was the only noise in the room besides Goro’s misplaced shouting. “He does something, and just steals it from me… I can’t reason when he’s around. This- this isn’t normal!”  
  
He stayed like that for a few minutes, thinking about the kiss again. He hadn’t stopped really. The entire moment of it was a blur. He recalled being stunned at first; thinking to pull back and ask Akira what the hell he thought he was doing. But instead he just froze. Every reasonable thought he had evaded him. Something else in him urged him to give an unnatural response. To try and kiss back. It only lasted a second. Maybe five. Of trying to match the movement of Suou’s lips on his; but before he could really get the hang of it, it was over. And that’s when he said _it_.  
  
“A bad kisser…. What is even a good kisser to being with?” he huffed glaring up at the stucco hanging over his head. Absently he chewed the bottom of his lip. He’d read tons of books that had people kissing, seen plenty of movies, witnessed more than his fair share of public displays of affection- what in the other boy’s mind constitutes a good ‘kisser’?  
  
He’d been ranting about it in the book as well. That Marion was poor at it. Thinking back on it the kiss was written without any flavor text. Really drawn out scenes always went into detail about the other person’s lips, or the taste of the last thing they ate or their skin… Was there something to kissing akin to devouring a person?  
  
That seemed, unsettling.  
  
Maybe it was the conscious effort to record everything in that moment to memory. His memory of his first kiss would always be a blur. But everything after would be clear.  
  
Telling Akira he’s an idiot. Using his pad to push him back and insisting they leave, while reminding him he’s extremely invasive of other people’s personal space and time and rude and inconsiderate and-

He sighed. And he had complete control over him. He hated it. No one controlled him. He refused to let this continue. But how did he stop it?  
  
Goro sat up and grabbed his phone from the bedside table and opened his contacts.  
  
He needed context. He needed clarity. He needed someone- someone other than Akira, to sort his head out. Unfortunately, his contacts list was scarce. And the number of people he could think of to talk to this about was even scarcer.  
  
“Niijima-san…” He stopped on Makoto’s name. He could talk to Makoto about this. She had a girlfriend, he was ninety-nine percent sure. He could ask her about this, tormenting inability to think about anything else other than Akira and this horrible kiss and his horrible luck.  
  
But not directly. Absolutely not directly.  
  
He opened up his messaging app and started typing:  
  
**Akechi:** Niijima-san, respond back as soon as you get thi-  
  
No, no that sounds desperate. He deleted it.  
  
**Akechi:** Niijima-san, There’s a private matter I’d like to ask you-  
  
“Hmn, no, that gives away that I’m affected by this personally…” He deleted it. Goro sat taping his thumbs on his phone screen, still biting his lower lip. “I need to ask you a favor? There is- a matter involving an individual…? I feel you have more experience in this area than I and…”  
  
He sighed and tapped the screen again. He had to write something.  
  
**Akechi:** When you’re not busy, please message me. I want to go over something with you.  
  
He nodded, that would do. It was just vague enough that it would do. So, he sent it. Now he had to get back to trying to get his tie on, so he could go to work for the day. Hopefully she messaged him back before he had to see Akira.

 

 

Thanks to his morning mishap, Goro was running late- well at least late by his standards. He gave up on getting his tie on after realizing he was still only thinking about last night the longer he looked at himself in the mirror.  
  
He’d choke Akira with a tie someday. With his miserable luck, he’d probably get a kick out of it.

“I shouldn’t even consider that thought,” he mumbled to himself as he pinched the bridge of his nose. By all accounts he should have called for a taxi rather than walk, but he was already late so why not? Besides it was a nice morning, and he still hadn’t learned all the ends and outs of the city streets.  
  
As Goro approached the Konan district he heard the sound of, a motorcycle. To his surprise, Detective Suou came rushing down the road, past him, and down toward Narumi and the city’s affluent seaside district. He stopped and turned watching him round a corner out of sight.  
  
He never _did_ know what it was Tatsuya did during the day when he separated from the others. Well, it’s not like he had any new leads to follow up on today. Ah, but following a man around on a motorcycle was going to be tedious.  
  
Still, if everything was easy, then anyone could do what he did right?  
  
Goro turned around and started quickly heading the direction he saw Tatsuya go. As expected it wasn’t easy to keep track of him. Every intersection he had to stop and scan the area, trying to see if he saw him at the next light or ask any of the passer’s by if they saw a man ride through on a motorcycle wearing a red jacket.  
  
It worked for the first few stops, but he was quickly falling behind. He stopped at the next intersection and pulled out his phone typing in the streets, hoping that scanning a map of the area would give him an idea of where Tatsuya would be going. It was a long shot, but it worked.  
  
A few blocks over, Sumaru Investigations came up as one of the nearby businesses. That was were Serizawa worked. Perhaps something had come up about the missing girl or one of their cases?  
  
He decided to make his way there. Admittedly he hadn’t realized that it was so close to his hotel. He had yet to really explore Sumaru, save for the places Akira took him. No, forced him to go.  
  
The building in question stood in the middle of its block, between two unassuming establishments. A closed down laundromat, an eatery that looked like it didn’t open up until the afternoon. The harbor was just a few streets over, and the area smelled of saltwater. Up and down the street there were small personal businesses, that honestly didn’t match the tone of money and power with the rest of Narumi’s population. The ritzy hotel, the yacht harbor, the fine dining… Around here it was a bit more of a rundown set of buildings.  
  
“And no motorcycle in sight…” Goro stood across the street from the building. There were a few cars parked on the street, but no sign of Tatsuya’s bike. Maybe he hadn’t come here. Goro pulled out his phone again and looked over the addresses in the area. He scrutinized the list of establishments with a scowl. There were no other places of interest around. At least not public ones anyway.  
  
He looked up at the building again, he couldn’t see inside from here, the windows were tinted. He couldn’t even tell if anyone was inside. Another quick glance and he realized there was a side alley leading behind the buildings. Goro tucked his phone away and crossed the street and entered.  
  
It wasn’t too narrow, certainly one could drive a motorcycle through here. At the back of the alley, the buildings opened up into a pretty wide lot surrounded on all sides by the outter walls of the buildings. The lot was empty, save for trashcans, a back door with a light over it, and one motorcycle.  
  
“Ah, so he is here…” Goro stepped into the lot and stared at the door. It wasn’t on ground level; one had to take a few steps down to it, he could only imagine from there that its path continued downward. Its location in the building matched up the private investigator’s perfectly.  
  
Should he knock? Should he even enter or just wait? He pondered the door, but only could for a minute before he felt something strike his hand.  
  
The pain was sudden, sending a sharp bolt up his arm and causing him to drop his suit case. He let out a yelp and turned grabbing his wrist to see what hit him. Instead of seeing anything he felt another sharp strike in his shoulder and then in his gut. He couldn’t help but double over at the third hit. Each one set his nerves on fire, forcing him closer to the ground. Briefly he saw something at his feet, a round flat metal disk. Almost like a large coin.  
  
Was that what hit him?  
  
He didn’t get the chance to give it a second thought.  
  
The next thing he knew someone was grabbing him by the back of his neck and throwing him down to the ground. He hit it with the most ungraceful thud, face down, and felt a heel right in the middle of his spine.  
  
“Alright,” the voice over him was that of a man. Sounded much older; tired, like a rough stone banging its way through a tumbler. “Where did you come from?”  
  
Goro hesitated, he wasn’t going to answer. He pushed back against the weight on his back, and immediately felt two more strikes. One into his leg and another into his hand, yet again. At least this time he saw what struck his hand. It was indeed a metal looking disk.  
  
“You’d better answer or I’m going to start breaking bones.”  
  
“Get off of me!” He turned to look over his shoulder. The man in question had long black hair, down past his chest, and wore small circular sunglasses that hid his eyes. He was wearing a tan suit and on his hands he wore a pair of black leather gloves, and in the one closest to Goro he could make out another one of those disk.  
  
How the hell was he throwing those so hard that they hurt? And with that kind of accuracy?  
  
“Well, I warned you,” Goro watched as the man drew his hand back over his shoulder. He was going to whip that coin at him so hard to break something? Really? He felt himself start to choke on the empty contents of his stomach when the door opened up.  
  
“Baofu,” Tatsuya slowly came up the steps, hands in his pockets, “He’s fine. That’s the kid I told you about.”  
  
“Oh yeah?” The man looked down at Goro again before taking his foot off of him.  
  
Goro immediately pushed himself up, he kept his head down, trying to push his anger away from his face as he dusted himself off.  
  
“Akechi,” Tatsuya stopped in front of him, “What are you doing here?”  
  
He looked up and sighed, but did his best to not seem a livid as he really was, “I was looking for you.”  
  
“Well you found me, what do you need?”  
  
Goro said nothing. He kept his lips shut as he glanced at Baofu and then at Tatsuya. He didn’t need anything. He was just following him. Watching him…  
  
“He’s spying,” the older man took out a cigarette and lit it. “Probably going to run back to Shimazu and tell him what you’ve been up to.”  
  
“That’s not why I’m here.” Goro lifted his head up higher, and did his best to keep his shoulders straight, even though one of them still stung.  
  
“Then answer, Suou.”  
  
Goro turned to Baofu, “And who are you, exactly?” The man in response blew smoke into his face with a laugh.  
  
“He works with Serizawa, their partners,” Tatsuya answered for him. “Now, why are you here?”  
  
Goro’s eyes still drifted back and forth between the two of them. He had no answer. And he felt fabricating one wasn’t going to help. All he offered up was silence and an inquisitive, accusatory glare.  
  
“He’s not going to talk, Suou, you’re wasting your time.” Baofu put a hand on Goro’s shoulder and turned him to face him, “Okay kid, you got a sighting on your target. Now run back to your master and tell him what you saw. Maybe he’ll give you a treat.”  
  
Goro opened his mouth to retort, but Baofu just shoved past him and made his way into the back door of his office. Tatsuya shook his head, “Go on, Akechi. Report back in tomorrow. Don’t slack off.” With that Tatsuya turned and entered into the building behind the older man.  
  
Right after the door shut Goro stormed up to it and tired the handle.  
  
Locked.  
  
“F-Fuck!” He let go of it with an angry jerk before walking back and grabbing his suitcase from where it fell. He looked back at the door one more time before storming away. As he exited the alley he was too upset to consider the police patrol car slowly rolling down the street, past him and past the investigator’s office.

 

 

Goro returned to the police station and found a quiet corner to use his laptop. He immediately started trying to find anything he could on Baofu. Which ultimately came up to absolutely nothing. The only relevant information was a few obscure hits on message boards run by conspiracy theorists; the board itself was labeled ‘The Darkside of Sumaru City’. And even those were nothing. Just passing mention that if you wanted info to talk to Baofu.  
  
Was Tatsuya really associating with someone like that?  
  
He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hand. He still hurt after that attack. And there was no doubt in his mind he had bruises forming under his clothes.  
  
Asshole.  
  
Idiot.  
  
He’d been an idiot thinking he could get the drop on Tatsuya. He clearly didn’t want to be watched.  
  
For now he’d have to concede defeat and let the man have his way. He’d get answers some other way. Of course, the only way he could immediately think of was Akira.  
  
That earned another sigh. He really _was_ going to end up spying on Tatsuya through his son.  
  
“Well, it’s not like I didn’t try to do this the honest way.” That was half a lie; he hadn’t been completely honest in his methods from the start. He pulled out his phone and sent the other teenager a text.  
  
**Akechi:** Suou-san, I have a question for you.  
  
**Suou:** Kissing lessons are five thousand yen an hour.  
  
**Akechi:** Listen here you little shi-  
  
“No, don’t send that…” he muttered under his breath and he deleted his last message.

 **Akechi:** You charge people you’re dating to kiss you?

 **Suou:** Oh, so now you want to date me as soon as money comes up.  
  
**Suou:** Well I guess the best things in life are free…

Goro rolled his eyes. He should have just yelled at him. Feeding into Akira’s ego offered up far worse results.

 **Akechi:** All joking aside. Do you know a man named Baofu?

 **Suou:** Yes.

 **Akechi:** Fantastic! Who is he?  
  
**Suou:** Telling you will result in my phone being scrambled, my laptop exploding and all record of me being deleted from the earth… But he shows up to dinner when Uncle Katsuya’s in town. Pretty sure they solved a case together. Also, pretty sure his eyes shoot lasers because he never takes those glasses off.

Goro read over the message a few times. At first, he considered if Akira was joking, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Not the lasers part of course, but everything about his phone, his laptop, his info. There’s no info on Baofu, just a few scares traces around the web directing people to ask him for info.  
  
“A hacker. Alright…” he shot Akira a quick thank you only to have his phone go off a few more times. Akira continued to message him asking him if he wanted to meet him at the Mu Arcade.

He responded back saying he might make it. He had work to do. He actually had nothing to do at that exact moment. There weren’t any new leads to follow and all he had currently were threads of information that he knew were connected, but not how. And he had no way to sort the connection out- not without doing something illegal.  
  
But he wasn’t going to give Akira the satisfaction of showing up to see him early.

 

  
  
Goro decided to treat himself to lunch before setting out to find the arcade Akira invited him to meet at. He couldn’t recall the last time he went one. Perhaps his last year of middle school. There was a Neo Featherman R fighting game that had been released and he had to play. He was surprised that an arcade was where Akira wanted to meet; what made him think this was a good last date?  
  
Not that it mattered.  
  
A quick taxi ride up to the south end of Yumezaki. He hadn’t been up this way since he came to ask question about Yoshishita and her gambling addiction. And prior to that it was the day he met Akira outside the train station. Perhaps that’s why he picked here? It was so close to where they met?  
  
The Mu Arcade was a simple, bright colored building. It stood alone, but next to it was its adult counterpart. The Mu Casino, same corporation but a different audience. As he approached the doors to the arcade he saw Akira’s bike chained up out front. Goro hesitated, pulling out his phone to check his messages.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Well, he could handle this blind, right? And it’s not like he was going to try anything in a public place. Hopefully…  
  
Inside the arcade was rife with noise pollution form games’ demos running, machines sounding off all kinds of alarms, bells, and whistles, and kids- from grade school to teenagers- cheering their friends on or groaning over losses.  
  
Goro was easily the most out of place person in the establishment, luckily for him no one seemed to care. He started to walk around the arcade cabinets trying to find Akira. He didn’t see him, he did however spot a familiar head of short blond hair sitting down at one of the fighting games.  
  
Sakamoto, with Mishima hovering over his side were glued to the screen of an Ultimate Arena cabinet. Goro could vaguely hear the standing boy half commenting and half backseat playing telling the other to watch out and not to drop his combos. They hadn’t noticed him, and in all honesty, he wanted to keep it that way.  
  
Goro made a conscious effort to make sure he stayed behind their line of sight as he continued to look through the arcade.  
  
“Did Akira know his friend were going to be here?” he mumbled to himself as he made his way to the very back of the room. It was there along the last row of machines that he heard a soft and familiar meow. To anyone else I could have sounded like one of the game machines, but at this point he knew better. Sure enough, Akira was here, in the very back, with his bag sitting on top of an old machine and Morgana’s head sticking out watching him play. As Goro drew close he saw it read ‘Rapunzel’ on it; on the screen it looked like Akira was moving a character around a block puzzle tower where he was pushing, pulling, and climbing his way up.  
  
“You should have texted me when you got here,” Akira spoke up before Goro even announced himself. The detective raised his eyebrows in surprise and Akira looked away from his game with a smile. “Morgana told me you were here.”  
  
“Ah, the mewing… of course.” He glanced up at the cat. It was staring at him with its big blue eyes. Completely silent now. “So, was it your intention to have us met someplace your friends would be as well?”  
  
“Huh?” Akira looked over his shoulder scanning for Ryuji and Yuuki. “The guys? No, I’m out with them right now… This isn’t the date.” Akira turned his attention back to the game. “We’re asking around about Mizu-chan.”  
  
“At the arcade?”  
  
“The guy she likes stops in here a lot. We’re just waiting.”  
  
“You all really shouldn’t-” he stopped himself shaking his head. “Never mind, so then why did you invite me here?”  
  
“You asked about Baofu, right?” Goro watched as the character on the screen triumphantly made his way to the top of the tower and climbed into window of the titular princess.  
  
“That’s why you asked me here?” he scoffed, “You couldn’t tell me over the phone?”  
  
“Listen,” Akira turned to him, the game didn’t have a timer, just a limited number of moves. So, the next stage would wait for him while they talked. “If there’s one thing I know about him, it’s that you don’t say anything you don’t want him to know over anything electronic.”  
  
“And how do you know that?”  
  
“He’s a hacker. Maybe an ex-spy? Or assassin? Just heard bits and things about him over the years from Aunt Sis and Serizawa-san talking and from Uncle Katsuya and Dad asking him for favors. All I knew was as a kid, he’s kind of intimidating.”  
  
“He still is…” Goro muttered.  
  
“Wait? Did you actually meet him?” Akira adjusted his glasses.  
  
“Meet is a ‘gracious’ term,” Goro flexed his left hand. It still stung from the ambush he received earlier.  
  
Akira watched him as he commented and then smirked, “Did you- Did he beat you up?”  
  
“No,” Goro frowned, “Not… really?”  
  
“Did he get you with the coins!” For some reason Akira’s expression lit up with a smile. Goro groaned and rolled his eyes. “He did, didn’t he?”  
  
“Why are you excited by this?”  
  
“I’ve only seen him do it once… When I was in middle school, he lined up a bunch of bottles in the back yard and smashed them in the blink of an eye. Pops was pissed, said now he’d have to pick up all the shards before I could go out there again.”  
  
“Hmn, well it’s not entertaining when you’re the bottle… How does he even manage to whip them so hard…”  
  
“That’s what I mean when I say ‘ex-assassin’ has to be. He’s never likes to seen, monitors tons of stuff, and can kick ass in unconventional ways.”  
  
“Well what kind of favors does he do for your Dad and Uncle?”  
  
Akira shrugged, “They don’t discuss that kind of stuff in places I can hear.”  
  
“Yo, Akira!” the two turned their heads to see Ryuji and Yuuki standing at the end of row. The blonde was slightly scowling while the other was waving slowly. They approached the two of them, Ryuji’s stare openly scrutinizing Goro. “What’s he doing here?”  
  
“We’re doing an investigation,” Akira stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned to one side to let himself rest against the Rapunzel cabinet. “And he’s a detective. It made sense in my mind.”  
  
“Oh, yeah!” Yuuki chimed in, “That’s a really good idea, Akira.”  
  
“Now wait just a minute,” Goro interrupted them. “You all shouldn’t be _investigating_ what happened to Shimizu-san. That’s a police matter. You should leave it to the officers and private investigators involved.”  
  
“Oh, yeah, great idea asking him…” Ryuji rolled his eyes.  
  
“Come on, Akechi-kun,” Akira eyed him, “Regular citizens help out all the time.”  
  
“Don’t waste your time, Akira,” Ryuji tilted his shin at the detective, “It’s not something you can understand when you don’t have friends.”  
  
“I- I understand, it’s just not safe. And further more-”  
  
“Yuuki, Akira,” Ryuji interrupted him turning to the other boys, “Come on, we’ve got work to do. If he’s not going to help, then we’re wasting our time.”  
  
“…You two were just playing videogames not five minutes ago…” Goro narrowed his eyes at the blond who in turn glared back at him.  
  
“Sorry, Akechi,” Akira got off the machine to reach up and grab his bag. He offered up a half smile to the detective, “I promise we’ll not get ourselves into trouble. We’re just asking questions. I’ll see you later this afternoon.”  
  
Akira slung his bag over his shoulder and walked past him. He clearly wasn’t going to let Goro stop them from doing this. They were a hard-headed group, but did that really surprise him considering everything he'd experienced with Akira?  
  
As they walked away he heard Ryuji loudly questioning the glasses wearing teen, “Ann said you two were out on a date yesterday, was that for real?” He couldn’t hear Akira’s answer, but he could hear Ryuji’s groan. “Come on, man! For real? You can do better!”  
  
He scoffed. First of all, it wasn’t even a real date, and second, even if it was it’s not like he’s a bad catch. There were more than enough girls back in Tokyo that would kill Akira and wear his skin to get the chance to steal a kiss from him. He sighed, that statement was more true than he wanted to think about.  
  
“I’m the one who can ‘do better’ not him…” Goro absently looked at the arcade game Akira had abandoned. The stage was still up for play. At a glance he didn’t think it fit him, a puzzle strategy game? Then again, it’s not like Akira had shown signs of being dull witted. Tenacious, annoying, invasive, slightly out of touch, sure? But not stupid.  
  
He wasn’t a ‘bad catch’ as Ryuji would say…  
  
The brunette was snapped out of his thoughts by his phone buzzing. He pulled it out to see Makoto had texted back. That seemed so long ago… Still he was glad to get her response. He leaned against the arcade machine and started texting.  
  
**Akechi:** Niijima-san, thank you for responding. I’m sorry to inconvenience you.  
  
**Niijima:** You’re not inconveniencing me, Akechi. What is it you need? Information for the assignment’s your missing?  
  
**Akechi:** No, nothing so trivial. I have all my professors on an email chain when work keeps me busy.  
  
**Akechi:** Actually, I need to ask for your insight into a matter. I require the perspective of someone with experience in this field.  
  
**Niijima:** You require MY experience. Well, this is a sudden surprise.  
  
He rolled his eyes. It wasn’t that surprising was it? They worked together on assignments before. They did go to the same cram school after all, they used to study together. He and Makoto often reviewed and debated the answers to study questions together. True, these sessions often ended up with neither of them being able to concede on who had the best approach or right answer… But that was beside the point!  
  
**Akechi:** Yes, sorry if that surprises you. Can you describe what it was like when you started dating Okumura-san?  
  
There was a long pause and dots flashing on the screen for a solid minute before Makoto responded with just two words.  
  
**Niijima:** Excuse me?  
  
**Akechi:** Sorry… Context, I’m trying to get inside the head of-  
  
Goro looked up and glanced around the Arcade. Akira and his friends where walking around still. His eyes followed the boy’s mess of black hair and slanted shoulders as he disappeared and reappeared around the establishment. He was at the back of his trail of friends, who were approaching a group of three boys at the change machine. One wearing a black jacket and shouting that the thing had stolen his money.  
  
**Akechi:** Sorry… Context, I’m trying to get inside the head of a person of interest.  
  
**Niijima:** Ah, so this is about your case. Well… Could you give me a bit more information? There’s a lot that goes through one’s head when you start a romantic relationship.  
  
Goro tapped his thumbs on his phone and looked up. Ryuiji had broken off from Akira and Yuuki and was now walking up to the three boys.  
  
**Akechi:** The individual in question is, annoying. Seems a bit self-deprecating, but also conveys a strong dominant personality. Takes control of whatever situation they’re in, despite an unassuming appearance.  
  
**Niijima:** Interesting. And this person’s relationship has to do with your case? How do they treat their partner?  
  
**Akechi:** Wrestles control from them; constantly perusing them despite being asked to stop; treats most interactions lightly; like a game.  
  
**Niijima:** Sounds problematic.  
  
Goro breathed a sigh of relief. Makoto also thought there was something wrong with Akira. Great. So that meant that this wasn’t normal and he should put a stop to it.  
  
**Niijima:** How does their partner feel about it?  
  
“Oh…hmnn…” Goro looked up again. He could see Ryuji and the boy in the black jacket arguing, basically shoving each other. Akira was now getting between the two of them, almost like he was going to calm the situation down. But it clearly only escalated. In his hand his phone kept buzzing.  
  
**Niijima:** I mean, it’s only really a problem if their partner dislikes it, or is an unwilling participant.  
  
**Niijima:** But if they enjoy the chase or the lack of control, then what could seem troubling to everyone else could be a perfect fit for them.

 **Niijima:** Maybe your person of interest already knows that or already has an understanding with their partner that they are in control and it’s easier to just follow their lead.  
  
**Niijima:** I can’t say Haru and I are like that. But I’ve met couples that follow that pattern. When we started dating there was some give and take and some compromise. But we make decisions together.  
  
Goro scanned over the messages, he could now hear shouting at the front of the arcade. He quickly glanced up and glanced back down.  
  
**Akechi:** Alright, but what if their partner isn’t sure that’s what they want? What if not being in control bothers them?  
  
“Get back here!” Goro lifted his head to see Akira pulling Yuuki out the door while Ryuji kicked on of the boys in the chest, causing him to fall into the others. He then also dashed out the door. In seconds the other three were right out after them. He shoved his phone in his pocket, grabbed his suit case and ran after them.  
  
Outside he caught the teens running down the street in purist of Akira and his friends. Akira was in the lead with Mishima on his bike and Ryuji right behind them on foot.  
  
With one deep breath he started running after them. He didn’t callout so he wouldn’t alert them to the fact they were being followed. Of course Akira was causing trouble. Of course!  
  
They ran for one city block before Akira suddenly turned his bike into traffic, causing the other boy on his bike to scream. Ryuji jumped out after them, nearly getting hit by a car. Behind him the boy in the jacket slammed into the driver’s side door of the vehicle that had nearly hit Ryuji. Goro could hear Ryuji screaming ‘Eat shit, Takagawa!’ as they made it to the other side of the street and started to double back.  
  
“What is he doing?” Goro stopped and watched Akira ride up onto the sidewalk looking back over his shoulder. For a moment he swore he also turned and made eye contact with him before pulling into an alley. Everyone else followed.  
  
Goro glanced out into the street, there wasn’t going to be a break in traffic. He ran out, hoping for the best, and trying not to notice his heart stopping as horns blared and tires screeched. Yet, he did make it to the other side of the street. He rushed to the alley and stood at the front of it. At the back Ryuji stood between the one he’d told to eat shit earlier and Akira. Behind him Yuuki had the bike in front of him like a barrier.

 

  
  
“Get out of the way, Sakamoto! I’m through playing with your thieving friend!”  
  
“You started this!” He pointed at him, “We just wanted to ask your ‘effing friend some questions about Shimizu! If you weren’t such a hot head I wouldn’t have had to kick you!”  
  
“Look who you’re calling a hot head, you blond ape!” One of the other boys shouted back.  
  
“Shut up! Shut up all of you!” Takagawa reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out switch blade. It was small, no bigger than the palm of his hand, but it could do damage none the less. “Get out of my way! You know your crazy little friend is nothing but trouble. I’m just cleaning up his stupid mistakes!”  
  
Ryuji raised his fist ready to fight, but Akira grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back.  
  
“That knife goes into one of your legs, you’re done.”  
  
“I can fucking take him on-!”  
  
Akira pulled him back and stepped up; he wasn’t looking at the boy with the knife. But past him at Akechi coming down the alley.  
  
“Okay, Takagawa, I guess getting a new phone wasn’t enough for you? What do want now? I new set of ball-” Akira was cut off by the other Kasugayama senior grabbing him by the scruff of his shirt and pulling him forward. Both his friends shouted, but Akira let it happen. He watched the edge of the knife come up into view with little to no reaction.

“I should cut your fucking nose off.” Takagawa tapped the end of the blade against Akira’s glasses. “Or maybe your hands so you stop stealing shit!”  
  
“Stop right there,” Goro stopped behind Takagawa and his friends, he set down his suit case and folded his arms. “Put him down, now.”  
  
The group turned around, but their leader didn’t let go of Akira, “And who the fuck are you?”  
  
Goro reached into his jacket and pulled out his identification, “Akechi, Goro. Tokyo Special Investigations Detective. Put him down, unless you feel like going to jail today for assault with a weapon.”  
  
“Dude, a cop?”  
  
“He’s so young, is he kidding?” The two goons looked back at their boss.  
  
“He’s not kidding,” Akira chimed in. “He’s here about the murders. And here you are, threating people in an alley, with a knife.”  
  
“I must admit,” Goro tucked his ID away, “It doesn’t look good.” Takagawa hesitated for a moment before letting Akira go with a snarl. “I’ll take that knife, if you don’t mind.” Goro held out his hand but the other teen scoffed.  
  
“He stole my wallet!” He pointed the blade at Akira, “I just want it back. He doesn’t respond to anything other than violence.”  
  
“Did you take his wallet?”  
  
Akira shrugged.  
  
Goro raised his hand higher, “I’ll search him, after you give me that knife.” Takagawa folded down the blade before clapping it into his hands with a frown. Goro immediately tucked it away inside his coat for safe keeping. “Alright, you,” he didn’t address Akira by name, “Come here and turn out your pockets.” Akira walked up, no expression and did as he was asked. He did pull out one wallet, but a quick inspection showed it had his school ID in it.  
  
“Well this is yours…. What’s in the bag?” he continued to act like he didn’t know Akira, or that he was more than likely guilty. Goro opened the bag, and thankfully he had his head down to hide his shock that Morgana was missing. He went through it, pulling out bits and pieces of nothing important. Only stopping when he found a case of lockpicks. Which Akira told him he needed because ‘sometimes the front door gets stuck’. Goro kept those two along with the knife. The last thing he pulled out was the book he lent him holding it up with a snide comment about having good taste.  
  
“Thanks, my boyfriend lent it to me,” Akira smirked, “He’s super upset I called the murder out on gut feeling alone though.”  
  
Goro nearly shoved the bag back into Akira’s arms hard enough to knock him over. He only offered up a sugar coated fake ‘sorry’, before turning to Takagawa, “No wallet. Looks like you were threatening him for no reason.”  
  
“Check his stupid friends! They’re in on it!”  
  
He sighed, but figured he’d be ‘thorough’ about this. A quick searching of Ryuji and Yuuki also turned up nothing.  
  
“Right, so- You chased three innocent teenagers for a city block, threatened one with a knife, and now you’re wasting my time…” Goro crossed his arms. “I’ll make a deal with you, I keep the knife. And you get to leave and file a proper missing items report at the station, rather than I take you in for assault.”  
  
“You- He stole it from me! He does this shit all the time!”  
  
“There’s no proof,” he shrugged. “So, I’m going to let him go. Now I’m giving you the option to go as well.”  
  
Takagawa glared at Akira for a minute before he told his friends they were going to go. He shouted back one last warning to Akira that he’d pay at school tomorrow from the alley way entrance before he left their line of sight.  
  
The instant he was gone Goro turned to Akira, “Not going to cause problems, huh?”  
  
“Takagawa’s a problem no matter what!” Ryuji walked forward and put an arm around Akira with a smile. “I don’t know what Mizu-chan sees in his dumb friend.”  
  
“One of those lot is her boyfriend?”  
  
“Yeah, a bunch of tools right…”  
  
“Ryuji,” Akira pushed up his glasses and stared at him for a long minute. The blonde looked around trying to ignore his friend’s silent orders before sighing.  
  
“Fine!” He turned to Goro, “Thanks for the help. I guess. Not like I couldn’t handle it.”  
  
“It was really fortunate that you were here,” Yuuki added in.  
  
“Almost like someone planned that from the start,” he glanced at Akira, who offered up the most innocent look he could muster, while still looking guilty.  
  
“Well, he didn’t know anything, so all of this was a bust.”  
  
“Not a total bust!” Akira turned his attention to the front of the alley and waved his hand. From out of the shadows Morgana came trotting up, a wallet stuffed in his mouth. Akira reached down to pick up the cat and pulled I free. “Look what Morgana _found_.” He opened it up, “And there’s just enough in there for some snacks.”  
  
“Sweet!” Ryuji high fived him. But the victory was short lived as Goro cleared his throat.  
  
“Give me that,” he held out his hand and took the wallet. “I’ll turn it into the station.”  
  
“Oh man, Akira, really, you want to stick with this stick in the mud?”  
  
“He has his benefits,” Akira shrugged Ruyji off before urging the other two to start for their next destination, promising he’d catch up. As soon as they were alone he turned to Goro, “Thanks for the help.”  
  
“You’re an idiot,” the detective reached out and used his hand to turn Akira’s face, inspecting to see if the knife had cut him at all. “What if I just let them catch you? What if I never left the arcade to chase after you?”  
  
“I knew you’d come.”  
  
“How!?”  
  
Akira grabbed his hand and held it to his cheek. He held Goro’s gaze with his eyes as he spoke, “Still haven’t figured it out yet, huh?”  
  
“You’re so sure,” Goro frowned at him, “You’re so sure that you’ve got me figured out. That you know what I’m going to do… What makes you think I’m enjoying this?”  
  
“Hmn,” Akira lowered Goro’s hand but didn’t let go, “You keep coming back. And you need someone, like I do. I see it, it’s written all over you face.”  
  
“I don’t- I don’t need anyone. I never have.” He pulled his hand back, feeling his face burning under Akira’s more serious gaze.  
  
“Well, I’ll see you tonight then, at the park?”  
  
“Sure, whatever.” Goro didn’t look up at him as he walked away, pushing his bike, cat back in his bag. He didn’t want to look for fear Akria’s eyes were going to see through him again and steal whatever resolve he had left.  
  
As soon as the sound of the bike’s wheels turning left his ears he dug out his phone to see Makoto’s last message.  
  
**Niijima:** …Honestly, Akechi. Maybe it would do you some good to let someone else take control for just a little while. You might find that you like it more than you know. Maybe that’s why your person of interest keeps trying to take it from you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The alternative of Makoto's text all just read: Akechi are you GETTING A CRUSH. JUST GO FOR IT. WHY ARE YOU EVEN DOING THIS. HARU SAYS DO IT. Also ask if this means we'll get a double date out of this?


	18. The Fifth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

Thinking back on Makoto’s last text made Goro realize why he and she always got into debates about their school work.

Because she was _always_ wrong.  
  
She was very intelligent. There was no denying that; but she was always wrong. His approach was better; so were his abilities to reason, and sort things out and solve problems. She was just- wrong. Flat out wrong.  
  
It was not going to do him any good to let Akira have his way.

He should have known better than to ask her and just stick with his gut. Cutting Akira off after today was his only option. Otherwise, he was going to be dragged into something he couldn’t control or comprehend and that wasn’t an option. He had to focus on the case.  
  
The case that currently was at a dead end and left him with a stack of questions.  
  
He arrived at the park late, out of spite, but he told Akira he just had some extra work to do. The sun was nearly set when he arrived, and the parking lot was empty, save for one lone black car with tinted windows sitting off away from the parking lot lights.  
  
Goro made his way through the park’s pathways to the usual spot. He didn’t take the short cut Akira wove through the trees and bushes. However, when he reached the gates of the concert hall he stopped. The sprinkler system was on. Sitting on the grass was out of the question.  
  
“Hmn, unfortunate,” he mused. “Guess we’ll have to just call it quits early.”  
  
He leaned on the gate for a second before turning around and pulling out his phone. Before he could he could even type to tell Akira he was going back to his hotel he received a message from him. Just a simple ‘I see you’. He glanced around before spotting the other teenager off to his left. He raised his hand and waved, urging him to come over.  
  
“There you are, what work were you doing that took you so long? No, you know what, never mind, I know you won’t answer.” Akira motioned for him to follow him. “Come on.”  
  
“Suou-san,” Goro stopped him, “The sprinklers are running. There’s no place to sit.”  
  
“I know that we’re going to go in through backstage, and sit in the bleachers.” Akira resumed walking, but the detective shook his head.  
  
“You just have to commit a certain number of minor transgressions a day, don’t you?”  
  
Akira lead Goro around the edge of the concert halls gates to a backstage entrance. He watched as Akira produced another set of lock picks out of his bag and proceeded to open on of the service doors. As he pushed it open he grinned at the brunette.  
  
“I’m going to arrest you someday.” He walked past him into the backstage away.  
  
“Oh, those are the last words Sherwood says to Arsene before he escapes,” Akira closed the door behind them, “It’s very romantic.”  
  
“It’s not romantic. It’s a threat and a promise.”  
  
Backstage was dark. Goro pulled out his phone to turn on the flashlight app; Akira however pulled out Tatsuya’s lighter and held it up at eye level. “Come on, let’s go find a seat.”  
  
Goro watched him walk by; really watching the lighter in his hands. So that’s where it went to. Tatsuya really gave it away? Was that why Akira was acting more stable lately? He followed him through the back halls up to the front stage; one after the other they jumped down into the seating area before Akira started to look for a place to sit.  
  
“Up front or in the back?”  
  
“Does it matter?”  
  
“Middle it is then!” Akira continued walking until he found a spot he felt comfortable with. He sat down and set his bag down to let Morgana out. The cat jumped up onto the bleachers and began walking the length of them as if looking for something. He finally settled sitting on the end of one and looking off in the empty seats of the rest of the concert hall. Goro took a seat next to Akira and watched a he pulled the book out.  
  
“So you finished it?”  
  
“There’s just one chapter left,” Akira flipped to the end of the book, Goro held his phone up to shine light down on the pages. “And I was right.”  
  
“But you didn’t come to that conclusion based on facts. You just guessed.”  
  
“It was the right guess,” He leaned in until their shoulders were touching. “Marion was the bad guy all along.”  
  
“I know… The red hair found at the scene of the crime was synthetic. Arsene’s is natural. The imprints from the shoe, didn’t carry the proper weight. Meaning whoever was wearing them didn’t have the right weight to make a heavy foot print. And lastly-”  
  
“-The horrible kiss!”  
  
“The kiss had nothing to do with it!” He rolled his eyes. “She made the mistake of coming to the mansion beforehand. She may have worn a disguise, but she touched the door knob in the bathroom. Left a finger print. When she came back to steal it, she only whipped down the places she’d been on that visit.”  
  
“Well,” Akira shrugged, “The point is, I was right. And Arsene got away with the painting. A perfectly happy ending.”  
  
Goro sighed. He felt his spine slump a bit as Akira started reading off the final chapter of the book. He kept one hand on his knees and the other held up his light. This was the end wasn’t it. He told himself he’d be done after this; so, he should be looking forward to the conclusion of their time together right? He chewed on his bottom lip.  
  
Was Akira reading slower than usual? Was he drawing this out to make him stay longer?  
  
_Maybe you’ll like it more than you know._

Never, he’d never like this. He glanced at the top of Akira’s head. What did Makoto know? What did Akira know? Things were fine now, but what about when he starts talking about hurting himself again? Or if he just takes off suddenly like he does with his parents? Things are fine now… But he’s not stable.  
  
He can’t have that. He can’t be attached to someone that is just going to make his life harder. He’s better on his own. He knew how to handle that, only relying on himself. Not having to worry about other people needing him or leaving him. The thought of being invested in another person like that- before he didn’t have a choice. You don’t get to choose your parents. But he has one now. And he has to make the right choice.  
  
“Hey,” Akira spoke up, he wasn’t looking at his book any more. “Are you okay?”  
  
“Yes, why do you ask?”  
  
“You’re squeezing your leg really hard…” The black-haired teen motioned to Goro’s hand. He let go immediately; he hadn’t realized he was gripping his knee hard enough for it to be noticeable. It was unsettling how he lost control of himself, just thinking about how he didn’t want Akira to take that control form him. “Are you really okay?”  
  
He was looking at him now, staring right into him once again. Goro never knew the color grey could make him queasy. But it was having that affect now. Looking back into Akira’s unwavering stare. He was so confident about it- about everything. From the fact that he wanted Goro to the fact that he was going to kill himself. It struck him now that even that aloof far off look wasn’t what Akira was lost- he knew right where he was. On the edge of death, he was just looking into it. Considering it. Toying with it. And then he had the nerve to turn around and approach him the same way.  
  
“I’m not-” Goro blinked a few times, “I’m not okay with the fact you’re going to kill yourself.”  
  
“…Huh? I didn’t even mention that-”  
  
“Shut up!” He cut him off and leaned forward, “I’m not okay with that. I’m not okay with you- telling me I need you when all of this hinges on if you’ll even get your shit together!”  
  
“…Akechi- are you, are you mad?”  
  
“Of course I’m mad!” He slammed his hand on the bleacher seat. “I’ve been mad all day about you and your stupid antics! First you tell me you’re going to kill yourself! Then you ask me out! Then you kiss me! Then you rope me into saving you- Yes, I’m mad! I can’t believe you’d think I wouldn’t be!” He huffed and lowered his eyes for a second, “I just want this to be over, so I can get back to my life as normal… I want you to get whatever this is over with so can have back control over my thoughts and my sanity and clarity and stop worrying about you.”  
  
Akira didn’t say anything. The silence hung like a weight around Goro’s neck. One of them had to say something, or the stillness was going to eat him alive. He raised his face to look at Akira and stopped.  
  
Behind him something moved. His eyes glanced to the side to see Morgana was gone. The cat had wondered off. He looked back at Akira again and saw someone coming their way.  
  
Akira must have picked up that something had changed because he started to turn his head, only to have Goro grab the sides of his face and keep him looking at him.  
  
“No,” he muttered, “Just, look at me…”  
  
“…What is it?” Akira whispered. “What are you looking at?”  
  
“Someone two aisles over…” he leaned in, his eyes flicking between Akira and the figure coming closer. “They’re walking this way, but they haven’t reacted like we know that they’re there. So just keep looking at me.”  
  
Akira leaned in a bit closer, putting one hand up on Goro’s chest. “Is it the killer?”  
  
“I don’t know…” he glanced at them again. They were still steadily walking toward the two of them. “As soon as he gets close, I want you to duck down. I’ll try and tackle them.”  
  
Akira nodded; he pressed his lips together, “What do they look like?”  
  
“I- I don’t know,” Goro shook his head. “They’re wearing all black. I think something blue around their neck? A scarf? And ascot? But their face is obscured… I think it’s a mask.”  
  
“A… mask?” Akira’s voice lowered. He kept his face towards the detective but he wasn’t looking at him. His mind started digging up a vague image standing over him in the darkness.  
  
He nodded, “It’s kind of oval shaped, and smooth and white. With-”  
  
“Black eyes,” Akira cut him off. He felt his heart stop with a chill filling his chest. As if someone had just poured ice water into his lungs. “Black eyes and a long black line, like smile- connect them? A ring of gold around the edge… And blue stone at the top.”  
  
“Ah, yes… That’s it exactly. How did you-” in the middle of his sentence Akira tore away from Goro. He suddenly turned around, despite the other telling him not to. Akira was on his feet before the other could even think to grab him. “Suou- stop!”  
  
“No!” Akira stood up, fist at his sides. “No! You’re not- You’re not real!” He started screaming at the person. They’d stopped now in the row just next to their seats. “You’re not real! Go away! Stop it!”  
  
The masked figured stood still for a second before turning and running back through the seats.  
  
“Shit!” Goro got up standing on the bleacher seats and screamed, “STOP! STOP RIGHT THERE!” He started running after them, jumping down form the seats and charging forward as fast as he could. “Stop in the name of law!”  
  
“Akechi!” Akira called after him, “No- Akechi don’t chase after it-”  
  
But it was too late, he didn’t listen. He was running headlong after the masked figure and left Akira standing alone in the aisle of empty seats. Akira stood still for a second watching the spot where the two had chased off into the night. Swallowed up by the darkness. Akechi’s phone was somewhere- pocketed when he started to run. There were no lights. There was no anything.  
  
“…It’s dark…” Akira glanced around at the ground. “Morgana?” He couldn’t see his cat. He couldn’t swallow. “Morgana!” He turned around a few times before stopping and forcing himself to take a deep breath. “It’s not real.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his father’s lighter. The silver case was shaking in his hands as he flipped up the lid. “It’s not real… Maki-san’s medication will keep you calm… It’s not real.”  
  
He turned and scanned the ground.  
  
Nothing was there.

No Shadows crawling up to get him.  
  
He breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
“It’s not real…It was just, your mind playing tricks. They’re not real.” He raised the lighter and looked back at where Akechi had gone. It wasn’t real, but he chased _something_ , right? Behind him he heard a shuffling close by. It had to be Morgana.  
  
He turned back around raising the light up high to spot his cat, “Morgana, come on ou-” the light fell not on his cat but on a black coat. He raised it up to a blood red swath of fabric and the smooth lion like mask and a mane of blond hair.  
  
Akira froze. He tried to repeat what he said, about it not being real. About whatever Akechi had chased just being in his mind. Shadows weren’t real. They just showed up and disappeared along with the Lion.  
  
“Go away,” he said it so softly, there was no way the Lion heard him. In fact, it came closer. “Go away!” Akira backed up for every step it took until his legs hit the back of the seats and fell backward. He landed ass on the seat but kept scooting back, practically kicking his legs to keep the Lion form getting too close until he reached the end of the bleachers and fell off onto the ground.  
  
“I said go away! Leave me alone already!” He got up and started running himself, down the middle of the rows towards the stage. Occasionally looking back to see the figure slowly walking after him. Stalking him the way a cat follows a mouse. He stopped at the base of the stage and turned around holding the light up to see how close the Lion was now.  
  
He had to get out of here. It wasn’t going to stop. Real or not it was never going to stop.  
  
“You’re strangely lucid today…” A voice spoke over his head. Akira turned his light up to another masked shape leaning over the side of the stage. Closer to the blue figure, it was round, and smooth. The eyes had black lines that ran off the sides of the mask and a third one that curved up like a frown. Like all the others they wore a black coat, and but around their neck they wore a yellow scarf tied like a bow on the side. “Unfortunate.”  
  
They had the voice of a woman. But that didn’t matter to Akira, what mattered to him was that from her coat she produced a pistol.  
  
Real or not, he wasn’t going to stay still for this. He darted from under her, running along the base of the stage.  
  
“A-Akechi!” He raised his voice as loudly as he could. “Akechi, come back!”  
  
If he had stayed still he’d have heard the Lion urge her not to shoot. At least not today. Akira kept running, now away from the stage. He didn’t see the two figures leave.  
  


 

Goro gave chase, ignoring Akira’s cries that he not go after the suspect. There was no way that he was going to let this person get away. He’d been waiting in this park for days for something- and he finally got it. This was not going to slip away from him.  
  
He followed the mysterious figure through the seating area around the stage over to a gate that lead back out into the surrounding park area. They didn’t stick to the path, instead charging into the bushes and trees, weaving in and out of them trying to loose the detective.  
  
“Stop running!” He called after them, “You’re only making this harder on yourself by resisting!”  
  
He watched them duck around set of trees and back out into the parks lit pathways. Goro followed only to be meet with stillness. He stopped scanning up and down the path, they couldn’t have vanished. He took a few steps forward, cautiously looking around. There was a park bench, the light, a fountain- they had to be behind that. He circled it carefully, but saw no one.  
  
“What the hell…” Goro looked around, was he wrong? Had they not come this way? Before he could get his thoughts together, someone grabbed him from behind. An arm wrapped around his neck and started to squeeze. He felt himself being pulled upward and back.  
  
“Careful, detective,” the voice of man whispered into his ear. He knew he’d heard it before. Smug and full of condescending curtesy. “Don’t let your problems sneak up on you!” The man put a hand over his mouth. Goro opened his lips to scream and bite him, but that’s what he was expecting. The moment his lips parted he realized his mistake. Something had been in the palm of the man’s hand, something that was now _in_ his mouth.  
  
It felt round, small, like a pill. A drug.  
  
Goro pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth to stop himself from swallowing. But he had to get it out before it dissolved. He kicked faster struggling to get free. He pried at the hand over his mouth with his fingers as his assailant assured him to just relax. Goro dropped one hand down and dug into his jacket pocket for Takagawa’s knife. He quickly flicked it open and stabbed the small blade into the man’s wrist.  
  
He let go of him cursing and screaming.  
  
Goro dropped forward and spit the pill out. Small and white, it landed in the fountain and he gaged for a moment, spitting again and again to make sure it was gone.  
  
He turned back around to see the masked figure clearly under the light. He couldn’t see their face at all, but they had smooth neatly combed black hair. Hair that was now falling a bit out of place from their struggle. He ripped the knife from his wrist and held it, ready to fight him.  
  
He got up ready to do the same when he heard his name. Akira was shouting for him. He didn’t move at first hesitant. He had a suspect, right here. He could take this asshole. But masked man laughed.  
  
“W-what? What’s so funny?” Goro glared at him.  
  
“You are… She said you’d be a problem. But kids are easy to fool. You didn’t hesitate for a second to leave your little lover all by himself…”  
  
He heard Akira scream his name again, and this time Goro turned and ran. It had been the plan to split them up. He’d even said at the start of this case there had to be multiple murderers.  
  
Idiot.  
  
Which is what he would have heard the masked man mutter if he’d stayed behind. But Goro was gone, giving the other enough time to take the knife and flee.  
  
Goro came running back into the concert hall seating area. As he approached the gate he left through Akira came bursting out. The two nearly collided; the only thing that kept them form doing so was Goro extending out his arms to catch the other and slow him down.  
  
“Suou!?” He held onto a wide eyed and stunned Akira, “Are you alright? What’s going on!?”  
  
“T-they’re after me! She’s- she’s got a gun!”  
  
“They?” He sighed, so there had been others. He quickly looked around before pulling Akira closer, “Alright where are they?”  
  
“B-back at the stage,” Goro nodded and started forward only for Akira to grab him. “Stop! You can’t fight them.”  
  
“Suou-san, I have to bring in suspects.”  
  
“But they’re not real!” Akira tugged him back the other way. “They’re just-just hallucinations… It’s not real. The Lion’s not real.”  
  
“I stabbed one,” Goro said calmly. “It was real.”  
  
He said nothing else, waiting for Akira to let go. The other teen slowly lowered his hands, but he followed after him. Right on his heels. However, once they returned to the seating area, no one was there. There was no signs of anyone, they’d gotten away. All three of them.  
  
“God damn it…” Goro cursed walking forward. He scanned the area a few times before turning back to Akira. “What did you see? Tell me everything that happened when I left.”  
  
“…The Lion,” he rubbed the side of his neck. “The Lion, and another Shadow came.”  
  
“The Lion?” he pressed his lips together. He mentioned that before to Maki hadn’t he? “What was the other shadow?”  
  
“The one you chased and- the yellow one.”  
  
“There’s more than just the Lion?”  
  
“Yeah,” he nodded. “They’re not, like him- their mask are just blank… but the colors, blue, yellow, green, purple… And the Lion is red.”  
  
“…How… How often do you see these shadows?”  
  
Akira hesitated, “I guess, whenever I have a bad episode. Whenever I black out from my medication.”  
  
Goro tapped chin. The one he’d chased tried to put a pill in his mouth.  
  
“…She said I was lucid today.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“The Yellow one. She was going to shoot me… And you, you just left!” Akira looked at him, squeezing his hands at his sides; he was clearly getting angry. “I told you not to leave! Why did you leave me!”  
  
“I-I had to chase the suspect-”  
  
“I was going to die!”  
  
“Isn’t that what you want!?”  
  
“Isn’t that the opposite of what you want!”  
  
“Of course it is!” Goro grabbed his hand, “Why do you think I’m so pissed off at you!”  
  
“Then don’t leave me alone with those things!” Akira ripped his hand away from him. “Don’t leave me alone with those things…” He swallowed hard and pushed up his glasses. “Just, stay with me alright.”  
  
“Sure, but only if you do the same.” Goro nodded. He offered up his hand to Akira to took it again. The black-haired teen moved in close enough to him that their shoulders were touching. “Okay… Where did you see these other two?”  
  
“The Lion was where we were sitting… And the Yellow one was up on the stage.”  
  
“Alright, let’s check the stage first.” Goro turned and pulled Akira to follow behind him. They made their way up the stage stairs and stopped. Up ahead they saw Morgana. The cat turned to look at them, letting out very loud yowl before turning his head back to the darker area of the stage. There was someone standing towards the back. They weren’t moving however. “…Is that them?”  
  
“I-I can’t tell, it’s too dark,” Akira pulled out Tatsuya’s lighter and held it up. The figure wasn’t in a black cloak, but they were female. A high schooler, wearing a navyblue blazer and plaid skirt, with their back to them.  
  
The two looked at each other hesitantly before approaching her. The closer they got the more the lighter lit up her body, revealing she had brightly colored pink hair.  
  
“Mizu-chan?” Akira stopped walking.  
  
“The missing girl?” Goro looked at him for a moment before looking down at their hands. Understanding what he was silently asking for Akira let go and let him continue the last few steps without him. However, Akira kept the lighter raised high. "Shimizu-san?” He stopped behind her. “Can you hear me? Are you alright?”  
  
Goro reached out to touch her shoulder and her body waivered. Upon closer inspection he realized there was a cord attached to her jacket and back to the stage to keep her up right. As he reached out to pull on it, it snapped. Letting the girl fall backwards. As she hit the ground both of them let out gasp of surprise. When she hit the ground, her face was revealed to the light, or really her lack of face was. The skin and top layer of muscle was gone, along with her eyes and tongue. Leaving a horrid scene of exposed bone and sinew. But it looked dried out, as if it had been done days ago and the body just recently left. All down the front of her uniform was covered with dried blood.  
  
Goro backed up covering his mouth fighting an instinctive urge to gag. And Akira turned his head away in shock, but kept the lighter up. Goro fumbled with his phone for a second as he backed up from the body. He grabbed Akira’s arm and turned both their backs to the girl.  
  
“Dead-”  
  
“Y-yeah! No shit!” Akira shouted at him.  
  
“I meant my phone idiot! From using the light… Let me- let me see yours!”  
  
Akira turned it over and Goro took it, flipping through his contacts until he landed on ‘Dad’. He dialed it and waited for Tatsuya to pick up.  
  
“Akira, why are you-”  
  
“Suou-san I’m sorry to contact you like this but-”  
  
“Akechi? Why are you calling me from my son’s phone?” The man’s tone was cold.  
  
“Like I said I’m sorry to call you like this, but my phone is dead and there’s a pro-”  
  
“What problem? …Akechi, where’s Akira?”  
  
“Suou-san, he’s fine, please listen to me-!”  
  
“No, you listen! Where’s Akira? Why are you calling me from his phone!?”  
  
Akira snatched the phone away from Akechi and hit the speaker before he started shouting. “Dad! Mizu-chan is dead!”  
  
“Akira- …what?”  
  
“She’s dead… It killed her. The Lion killed her-”  
  
“Akira, where are you?” Akechi noted his tone was decisively calmer, despite the news Akira had just delivered. It seemed like now that he had confirmation his son was fine, his own panic curbed.  
  
“We’re at the Aboa Concert hall… We found her here, after the Lion came.”  
  
“…Alright don’t move. I’m on my way. Akechi-”  
  
“Yes, Suou-san?”  
  
“Don’t let anyone else from the department talk to Akira before I get there, understood?”  
  
“Yes, sir.”  
  
The line went dead. Goro handed Akira back his phone and he looked over his shoulder at the girl.  
  
“Akira…”  
  
He turned to Goro, a bit surprised to hear him calling him by his first name, “Uh, yes, Akechi?”  
  
“…I want you to tell me everything about your hallucinations,” he looked back at Akira. “I think the Lion is real and I’m going to catch him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, there's a dead body over there. That's not cool... Poor girl. But horror and murder aside I'm sure some of you have noticed that this story is now labeled as part of a work!
> 
> When I came up with this mystery I knew 2 things, one there's mystery in Sumaru that Goro would solve. And two there's a bigger mystery that Goro would not solve. And I just debated for a long time on if there would be more or I would just leave it hanging... Mostly because in my head I could not grasp the scene for the next mystery. Which sounds wild when you think about how much BS is in persona lore there's a lot to toy with!
> 
> But recently it dawned on me exactly what would happen after Sumaru to Goro, Akira, and other players. And well now that I've got it in my head I have to share it. So this murder-fest in Sumaru is just part one of Goro's little adventure through this mystery universe.


	19. New World Fool

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally back to dealing with the real story I want to focus on. It's a shorter chapter than the previous ones but, sometimes short is needed!
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

“Okay, can you, start again from the beginning?” Sylvia tapped the tip of her pen on her note pad.  
  
“I’ve already told you like… Eight times,” Akira sighed, turning his head and looking over the sea of officers and flood lights around the concert hall. Morgana’s tail curled around his leg as he circled him. With all the noise and people moving around the cat wasn’t going to stray far.  
  
“You’ve told me three, I just want to make sure I got this right? Okay? So, tell me again.”  
  
“Again, you’re certain she wasn’t on the stage when you two first entered the hall?” Tatsuya stood facing the spot where Shimizu’s body had been. Arms crossed and his usual serious expression on his face.  
  
Goro let out a slight sigh, he knew from the moment he hung up the phone this wasn’t going to go over well, but he wished Tatsuya wouldn’t keep asking him the same questions. His answer wasn’t going to change after the fifth time. “She wasn’t there. No one was here that we saw.”  
  
“And why, again, where you here?”  
  
“Ugh, you know why,” Akira stuffed his hands in his pockets. Finger’s tightening around Tatsuya’s lighter. “We were hanging out.”  
  
“Yes but why _here_ , Akira? It’s not exactly a safe location. Secluded, no lights…” Sylvia motioned around the area.  
  
“… Your son says this where he comes when he doesn’t want anyone to find him,” Goro put his hands on his hips and tilted his head to the side. “But your son’s reclusiveness aside, Suou-san, we have to talk about the Shadows-”  
  
“Stop,” he cut him off. “Don’t, just, ‘the suspects’.” Goro watched as the older detective glanced for a moment over his shoulder to where Chief Shimazu was directing others. “You only saw one, right?”  
  
“I saw two of them,” Akira nodded and pointed out into the stands, “The Lion was over there and the other one was up there on the stage. And Akechi chased one away.”  
  
“And you’re sure they were real?”  
  
_“Yes,”_ Akira hissed at her as he answered. “What’s the point of asking me over and over again if you don’t believe me?”  
  
“It’s just, your description is, a little wild…”  
  
“A man wearing a black trench coat and an elaborate white mask sounds like something out of a weekend super hero show,” Tatsuya frowned.  
  
“I know, I know, but I saw him. He attacked me. They should find evidence of our fight near the fountain, I gave the crime scene lab directions too. I stabbed him, there has to be blood _somewhere_.”  
  
“And that knife was a weapon you confiscated earlier today?”  
  
“It was Takagawa’s knife,” Akira ran his hand through his hair, “Akechi took it from him earlier. I- didn’t see the fight. He just told me he stabbed the Shadow. Then told me it was with that knife after we found Mizu-chan.”  
  
“Mizu-chan,” Sylvia turned her head back up to the stage. She and Akira were standing in the aisle while Tatsuya and Goro were talking up near where the body was found. “Okay, Akira- do you think you can give a description of these two to a sketch artist?”  
  
“…Do I have to go to the station?”  
  
“Yes,” she tapped her pen against her bottom lip with a hopeful smile.  
  
“Then no.”  
  
“I can describe him perfectly, mask or not. I already know who it was that attacked me.”  
  
“You do?” Tatsuya looked a little surprised.  
  
“It was Dr. Sawada. I have no doubt in my mind. He spoke to me, I recognized the voice. And the hair was similar.”  
  
“But you don’t have any proof other than that?”  
  
“A blood sample would be proof enough, right?” Tatsuya didn’t answer him, letting a silence build between them. Goro was convinced he knew who attacked him.  
  
In the time that he and Akira waited for the rest of the force to arrive he listened to the other teenager describe the Lion, the woman with the yellow mask, and man in blue. There were two others in addition to them. A woman with a purple mask and a man with a green one. That made five in total. Five Shadows Akira insisted seemed to drift in and out of his life with variations of the same white mask. Save for the Lion; his mask was bigger, and had a defined snout and jaw shape to it. It’d been about two years on and off of these occurrences, but he’d never once seen one when he wasn’t having an episode.

Tonight, was the first night anyone else had seen them.  
  
Akira’s been going to Dr. Sawada for approximately two years. And though Goro’s only spoken to the man once; he’d recognize that smug confident voice anywhere. Not to mention he tried to give him something during the fight.

  
“He had a pill,” Goro interjected at the silence at the end of his own question. “When we fought, he grabbed me from behind, tried to put something in my mouth.” He tapped his chin.

That news sparked a reaction in Tatsuya, “What was it? Did you get a look?”  
  
“A small white pill, it landed in the water in the fountain.”  
  
“Did it have any marks?”  
  
“I didn’t get a chance to see.” Goro leaned in a bit closer, “You’ve seen it before, haven’t you?” His question only earned him a slight noise out of Tatsuya, like the low revving of an engine, but no real answer. Still that reaction was enough. “You know I’m right; the one here tonight, at least the one that attacked me, was Dr. Sawada.”  
  
Tatsuya turned his head to the side looking past Goro out to where Sylvia and Akira were talking, “Don’t say that so loudly without proof.”  
  
“Suou! Akechi!” Chief Shimazu approached the two, he was done overseeing the crew gathering evidence from where the body was. “Why isn’t the suspect in cuffs?”  
  
“Suspect?” Goro looked at him questioningly. “The suspect got awa-”  
  
“Akira is not a suspect,” Tatsuya interrupted. “He’s a witness.”  
  
“Not a suspect?” The man’s face twisted into a snide smile as he spoke with a condescending voice, peering at Tatsuya over the top of his glasses. “A murder has been committed, and at the crime scene we have an individual with a history of violence and assault.” He pointed out to Tatsuya’s son, “He should be taken in for further questioning.”  
  
“Akira is not a suspect.” Goro parroted. Tatsuya glanced at him out the corner of his eye. The teenager cleared his throat, he hadn’t meant to start calling Akira by his given name in front of everyone else. “I was with Suou-san the entire time. He didn’t kill that girl.”  
  
“You were with him the entire time?” His eyebrows raised at the end of his question, like he didn’t believe him. “Including the period when you chased the suspect? And the time before your arrival- If I’m not mistaken you said when we first arrived the Suou boy was here first.”  
  
“Yes, that is true-”  
  
“So then you weren’t with him the ‘entire’ time as you say,” the chief sneered as he pointed out the gaps Akechi’s reasoning.  
  
“The body wasn’t here when we first entered. It was placed after- and during that _entire_ length of time I know where Aki- Suou-san was.”  
  
“Unless there’s evidence Akira had contact with the body, _Chief_ , all we can do is question him and then send him on his way. He can’t be held.” Tatsuya folded his arms.  
  
Goro nodded. Only had had touched the girl, Akira stayed back. So, there was no evidence linking the two. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  
  
“Fine!” he sneered. “Then get him out of here. He can leave for now- But just know, Suou, if there’s even a shred of doubt he had a hand in this and you stand in my way: you’re out of a job and that boy’s going to jail.”  
  
Tatsuya didn’t say anything, he just turned on his heel and walked off the stage. His silence over the threat only made the Chief’s blood boil. Goro himself didn’t stick around either, he followed after Tatsuya, glancing back to see the other man adjust his glasses as he glared at their retreating backs.  
  
Sylvia had just finished up going through events with Akira when Tatsuya approached. She offered her notes to him, but he waved them off.  
  
“Are you alright, Akira?” Tatsuya put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
“Yeah, as alright as was the first time you asked,” Akira’s shoulders rose and fell over the course of his sentence.  
  
“Akiyama and Ueda are still checking out the scene,” Sylvia reported. “But Ueda already reported in- said the team didn’t find any evidence of a fight where Tokyo mentioned it.”  
  
“What?” Goro shook his head, “Maybe they’re at the wrong fountain. But I fought Doct- I mean a suspect, in the park.”  
  
“You’re free to go check it out,” Sylvia motioned around the seats. “I’m still going over the concert hall.”  
  
“Can I have my stuff back?” Akira interjected. “I need my bag to carry Morgana.”  
  
“Sorry, we have to keep it for evidence right now.”  
  
Akira sighed at her words. Tatsuya squeezed his shoulder, “Alright. Jun’s waiting for us at the front of the park, I’m going to drop Akira off and then I’ll be back to help look for evidence.”  
  
“Huh?” Sylvia looked at him confused. “You’re… Coming back?”  
  
“Yes, we’re still investigating the scene.”  
  
“Tatsuya,” The American shook her head, “There’s four of us, plus all the lab guys… Take Akira home.”  
  
“Sylvia, the best time to gather evidence is right after the event. The more people we have checking the scene the better our chances are of getting everything. The park is huge-”  
  
“We can handle it,” she pointed her pen at him, “Go home with your family. We can go over everything tomorrow at the station.”  
  
Goro watched he two adults hesitate. Tatsuya didn’t exactly look like he was going to take the woman’s advice. Honestly, he could see Sylvia’s point, but he would rather Tatsuya stay here. After their conversation on the stage, he wanted to ask him more about the pill.  
  
“Fine, but stay with Akechi while you search the area.”  
  
“Sure,” she nodded.  
  
“Why?” Goro felt he didn’t need any help, he was fine with gathering evidence on his own. However, Tatsuya didn’t answer him. Instead he turned to Akira and told him they were leaving. The raven-haired boy glanced at him as his father started walking away before scooping up Morgana and following suit. He didn’t say goodbye. It was probably for the best.  
  
Goro turned to Sylvia, “I’m going to go find Ueda. I hope you don’t mind. I don’t really need someone glued to my side.”  
  
The woman considered him for a moment, “I do have a question for you. You don’t have to answer.”  
  
“…Alright, ask away.”  
  
“What are you and Akira doing?”

He paused, he wasn’t sure why that was her question. He figured it would be about the murder or the crime scene, not about Akira.  
  
“I just mean,” she continued, “It’s a little dangerous, don’t you think?” She tapped her pen to her lips again smiling, “Tatsuya might shoot you, if you mess up.”  
  
“Mess… up?”  
  
“With Akira!” Sylvia shook her head.  
  
Goro scoffed and turned his head, he could almost feel his face burning with agitation, “Akira- Suou-san and I were not on a date, despite whatever he told you.”  
  
Sylvia winked at him, “Akira never said it was date.”  
  
“But you-” he turned back to her, “You just accused me of-”  
  
“I accused you of ‘messing up’. You can mess up with friends to, you know?” Sylvia shrugged, “I’m going to search he concert hall grounds. You can go find Ueda. Good luck, Tokyo.” With that the woman waved to him as she walked off.  
  
He wasn’t going to spend his time thinking about what Sylvia had said. He hadn’t liked her since she dubbed him that horrible nickname. So, what did her opinion matter? He caught up with Ueda at the scene of his fight with the ‘blue shadow’ as Akira had dubbed him. And as had been reported, there was no signs of a scuffle. The knife was missing- granted he had expected it to be. Only a fool of a criminal would leave the weapon behind. But there wasn’t even a drop of blood. He knew he had left, but would Sawada really take the time to scan the ground and ensure it was clean? Let alone have the time to make sure there was nothing left so even chemicals wouldn’t pick it up?  
  
The only sign Goro had been there was a scuff from the bottom of his shoes when he’d been kicking- and even that was circumstantial. It could be from anyone’s shoe really.  
  
And the pill had landed in the fountain, so whatever it was had dissolved by now.  
  
Still, he knew that that man had to be Dr. Sawada. He just had to prove it.

 

  
  
  
Tatsuya and Akira made their way to the front of the park in relative silence. Actually, Akira was expecting some sort of lecture, but Tatsuya held off. By the time they reached Jun in the parking lot the man looked like he was on the verge of having a nervous fit.  
  
He was standing with one arm tucked under the other and his other hand raised up to rest just under his chin. He was leaning against the car looking down at the ground, but he was clearly fidgeting; anxiously waiting for Tatsuya and Akira to arrive. The moment he saw them, he didn’t wait for them to get close, pushing off the car and meeting them halfway, he hurried over. His expression wrought with fear and fatigue.  
  
“Akira!” Jun reached out and grabbed him, pulling him into what was probably the tightest hug he’d gotten in years. “Akira, are you alright?”  
  
“I-I’m fine, Pops! I-I can’t breathe!” When Jun let go Akira rolled his shoulders. Morgana fussed and squirmed in his arms, unhappy about being crushed.  
  
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Jun cupped his face in his hands, “You’re not hurt at all?”  
  
“I already saw a paramedic… I’m just- tired.”  
  
“Let’s head home, Jun, we can talk about it there.” Tatsuya watched them. His husband took Akira’s shoulder and walked to the car with him. During the ride back the only one who made any noise was Morgana, letting out the occasional long, tired yawn.  
  
The moment he was over the threshold of their front door Akira wanted to bolt for his room, but Tatsuya was well ahead of him. Calling his name from outside. Akira made it less than there feet into the house before he resigned to just stand an wait.  
  
“Why don’t we sit down and talk about what happened, Akira?” Jun tried to at least pretend his participation in this matter was going to be of his own free will.  
  
“I can stand.”  
  
“Let him stand,” Tatsuya closed the door and stood across from his son.  
  
“…I didn’t hurt Mizu-chan.”  
  
Tatsuya shook his head, “Akira, I know that. I would never believe that your capable of hurting anyone.”  
  
Akira lowered his eyes. Maybe not anyone else…  
  
“But I want to know what you were doing there with Akechi?”  
  
The teenager kept his eyes down, “We were just there. It was all a coincidence.”  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Yes,” Akira lifted his eyes. Something about the way his dad looked at him. He didn’t believe that. Tatsuya’s stare was intense, whatever thoughts were firing off in his mind reflected in how his gaze quickly looked Akira over and then stopped on his face.  
  
“I need you to stay away from him, Akira. I need you to stay away from Akechi.”  
  
“No.” Akira said it so fast, that as the word hit his own ears he was sure his expression had the same startled looked Tatsuya’s held. However, his father’s faded much faster back into that hardened stare.  
  
“Akira, you _need_ to stay away from him.” This time he responded with nothing. “It’s not safe for you. Just look at tonight, you could have been killed.”  
  
“But I wasn’t… Akechi helped me. He believes the things I see are real.”  
  
Tatsuya closed his eyes for a moment and let out an exasperated sigh, “Please, Akira, I’m trying to protect you.”  
  
The teenager stood still for a moment. He could lie. He could just lie and say he wasn’t going to seek Goro out again. He quickly glanced to the side, Jun hadn’t said anything. But he could make out a pained expression on his other parent’s face. Akira didn’t really want to fight with them. He didn’t want any of them to suffer either. He stuffed his hand into his pocket and pulled out the lighter holding it out.  
  
Both Tatsuya and Jun looked at him confused.  
  
“Goro said he’s going to catch the Lion. I believe him.”  
  
Tatsuya sighed. It was clear Akira’s mind was made up. But so was his; he refused to take the lighter back, “Just, go to your room, Akira.”  
  
“Fine.”  
  
Akira turned around and walked away. That was a failure for everyone involved he figured. He stopped at the door of his room and looked down the lighter in his hands. On one side there was an inscription.  


_‘The most important things can’t be seen with the eyes.’_

  
He traced his thumb over it thinking and faintly could still hear Jun and Tatsuya talking. He slipped it back into his pocket and slowly made his way to the end of the hall before pressing himself against the wall and listening.  
  
“-Okay, Tatsuya, when are you going to let me in the secret?”  
  
“The secret?” Akira could hear Tatsuya’s voice moving away, they were getting closer to the stairs.  
  
“About Akechi? What did he do that makes him so untrustworthy? You’ve been paranoid about this boy since before he arrived.”

There was a stretch of silence. Akira gathered Tatsuya was probably thinking of what to say. The longer he said nothing the more Akira wondered how much he was holding on his tongue.  
  
“I didn’t know they were sending a boy,” the detective’s voice seemed muffled, “Baofu and I aren’t sure what to make of him. He might not be dangerous. But after tonight, I think he is.”  
  
“He helped Akira… What if he wasn’t there. Akira might not be home right now…”  
  
There was another long pause.  
  
“Tatsuya, if you know something, tell me. You don’t have to protect us on your own,” Jun’s voice sounded like it was splitting between volumes as he tried to keep his tone under control. If Tatsuya dealt with his stress in silence, Jun’s always leaked out in his voice. Soft broken words, questioning sentences, and cracking tonal changes. Akira could only imagine what kind of expressions they were wearing. It wasn’t like them to be at odds with each other.  
  
“Niijima, Sae… From the Special Investigations Office in Tokyo. She’s one of them. Baofu is sure of it. I've seen the proof.”  
  
“And what does that have to do with Akechi?”  
  
“We knew she was sending someone, no idea who. Just that Shimazu had contacted her for help to ‘clean up’ their problem in Sumaru. Had it been an older detective, someone with experience and a history would be easy to peg. Easy to understand what they’re doing, they’re methods, their end game. But she sends this- this kid. And I honestly can’t tell if he’s in on it or not.”  
  
“He struck me as clueless the first time I brought up the New World Order. Yet he’s picking things apart fast… He showed up at the back of Baofu’s lair the other day without a reason. And this mess with Akira-”  
  
“So what if he isn’t in on ‘it’? If it’s all just chance…”  
  
Tatsuya chuckled dryly, “Then that’s worse. Then he’s here to be Levithan’s pawn. She’s benefiting somehow from his presence here. But in on it or not, he’s here for _something_ and whatever it is he’s not dragging Akira into it.”  
  
His parents stopped talking again. Another silence while they weighed their options.  
  
“…Okay,” Jun’s response came softly. “Okay, I’ll help keep them apart.”  
  
Akira backed away from the end of the hall. He crept back to his room and shut the door softly. He pulled his phone and started texting his friends, but then stopped when he saw what time of night it was. Still, he needed to talk to someone. He had questions, he wanted answers.  
  
**Akira:** Yuuki, you still awake?  
  
**Yuuki:** Yeah, not that I want to be… A bunch of sirens going by woke me up.  
  
**Akira:** They were going to Aboa Park.  
  
**Yuuki:** Huh, why? What happened?  
  
**Akira:** You’ll hear it on the news tomorrow, but I need you to do me a favor. Can you send me all the stuff you’ve looked up on Akechi?  
  
Akira watched as dots came up on the bottom of the screen. They kept starting and stopping until finally Yuuki responded.  
  
**Yuuki:** I’ve never looked up anything on him!!!  
  
**Akira:** One: You’re a shit liar, that’s why you lose at poker. Two: You’re going to tell me Ryuji did not ask you to dig after that night we had sushi? Three: Yuuki, no one who tells the truth ends sentences in multiple exclamation points. Just give me the info.  
  
**Yuuki:** Okay, okay you don’t have to be mean… Is everything alright?  
  
**Akira:** No.  
  
He paused.  
  
**Akira:** But it will be. Thanks for the help.  
  
He set his phone down before he could see what his response. Part of him wanted to stay up and start reading any links or emails he was sent right away, but he was also tired. It was late, and he’d had a more exhausting night than he planned. Akira changed into his pajamas, put Tatsuya's lighter on his desk; next to it the watch of Jun's he'd yet to return to his treasures. Morgana jumped up onto the bed as he looked down at them, wondering what he was going to do about his parents, the Shadows and Goro.  
  
He walked over to the wall to turn the lights off and stopped. His hand on the switch, he looked around his room.

Completely lit with no shadows.  
  
Akira slowly pulled his hand away and returned to his bed, resolving to sleep with the lights on tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Says I hate Atlus' naming conventions. Names a victim 'Shimizu' when there's a character named 'Shimazu'.
> 
> At least everyone calls her Mizu-chan... I'm just gonna, be over here in the hypocrite corner.


	20. Playing Clue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey gang! Its time for another Goro poking his nose in things chapter that means lots and lots of talking! But it also means more info for you to see if you can guess what's going on... I swear these chapters are longer than others, or maybe I just feel that way cause there's a lot less physical movement...
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

The sound of his phone buzzing on the table next to him cause Goro to wake up with a startled gasp. He’d fallen asleep at the desk in his hotel room after returning last night. He’d stayed with the rest of the team searching the park for evidence, and then proceeded to hang around the station making copies of every documented piece of evidence to review on his own.  
  
He didn’t even remember falling asleep, or putting his head down for that matter.  
  
His hand shot out to grab his phone; a quick glance at the caller ID showed Sae was calling him. He answered and held the phone up to his ear clearing his throat.  
  
“Sae-san!” He did his best to sound bright and awake. “I wasn’t expecting a call from you. Is everything alright?”  
  
“Good morning, Akechi,” Sae sounded calm, “I hope I didn’t wake you.”  
  
“Of course you didn’t,” he cheerful chuckled at the end of his lie, hoping it would cover up the exhausted and gruff tone of his stiff vocal chords. “You know I’m always up early.”  
  
“Yes, that’s true.” The prosecutor’s sentence was punctuated with a long silence, “I’m calling, actually, to ask _you_ if everything is alright.”  
  
“T-to ask me?” He chocked a bit and cleared his throat, finally enabling him to speak normally, “Why wouldn’t things be alright?”  
  
“I spoke with Chief Shimazu an hour ago. He told me about the latest victim. He insists that you seem to be having problems with this cas-”  
  
“That’s absurd!” Goro practically shouted in her ear. The teenager exhaled through his mouth as he regained his composure; he had to remember who he was talking to. “I’m having no trouble with this case, Sae-san. It- it is unfortunate that another had to fall victim to this serial killer- but I assure you that wasn’t because I’m having issues with this case.”  
  
“Then why did she die?”  
  
The question hurt.  
  
Sae’s voice had no inflection to it; and while there was no accusatory tone to her voice, he felt like she was indeed saying this was his fault. She trusted him. She was one of the few adults who did. She had his respect. He couldn’t afford to lose her’s.  
  
“The victim in question, went missing within days of my arrival… At the time I had only just begun my investigation. I didn’t have a profile or pattern, even a motive for the killer. However, I have a suspect in mind now. I accept the fact that I probably could have come to this conclusion sooner had I not been somewhat distracted- But I’m free of those distractions now, Sae-san. I know who I’m going after, it’s just a matter of lining up the evidence. Still, I’ll keep a close watch on the suspect until then to ensure no one else is harmed by their actions.”  
  
“I see.” Goro waited listening to stillness on the other side of the phone before Sae spoke again. “That’s excellent news, Akechi. I can understand now how this happened. Shimazu failed to point out the girl had gone missing so early into your arrival. Yes, it’s doubtful anyone could have stopped that within such a short time frame. She was more than likely already being targeted.”  
  
“Exactly,” he practically sighed out the word, falling back into his seat. “There won’t be a sixth. I can promise that, Sae-san.”  
  
“Right, well then, when you get the time today, I’d appreciate a full update report sent in. Keep up the good work.”  
  
“Thank you, Sae-san. I will… I promise.” Goro hung up the phone and sighed. Shimazu had some nerve calling his superiors to complain. It’s not like he had done anything to save that girl. “Bastard,” he turned his phone face down and ran a hand through his hair. It was already past seven. He had to get up, get dressed and head for the station. There was a lot to do.

 

  
  
  
An hour later, he arrived at the Konan Police department. The moment Goro was through the doors of the police station one of the female officers at the desk called for him. She told him the Chief wanted to see him the moment he got in. That was fine with him, he wanted to give that man a piece of his mind for calling and complaining about his work methods.  
  
He entered Shimazu’s office ready to tell him to fuck off, in the most professionally condescending manor he could muster of course. However, when he entered the man’s office he was happy to see him. The reaction forced Goro to swallow his words and listen.  
  
“Akechi! Come in, get in here! Have a seat!” Shimazu was grinning at the sight of him. Not that the expression made him feel comfortable at all. He folded his hands together as Goro took a seat. “I just got done speaking to Deputy Directory Niijima, from Tokyo Special Investigations.”  
  
“So I heard…” Goro’s eyebrows came together as he watched the man’s face. “She told me you were rather unhappy.”  
  
“Hmn? Oh no- that was our earlier conversation! She just called back to tell me your plans for our suspect.” The Chief practically snickered at the end of his sentence. “And I could not be more pleased that we are finally on the same page. I was starting to think Niijima-san had sent me a buffoon.”  
  
“I-” Goro had to take a deep breath at the man’s words, “I assure you I’m no fool. I was just gathering the evidence to make my case. Even with an obvious suspect, we need the evidence to convict them.”  
  
“Hahaha,” the Chief began to laugh openly, “Ah, see that’s what I’m talking about… Such noble, antiquated ideals. But regardless, it seems you are finally doing the work I expected.”  
  
Shimazu pushed a folder across the desk to Goro, “This is everything from his old case file. Use it to apply your current evidence. I expect you to have the Suou boy in custody by the end of the week. No excuses. I want him dealt with, so I can clean up the mess in this town.”  
  
“Akira…” Goro narrowed his eyes at the man but didn’t say anything, instead reaching out to grab the file. He pressed his lips together.  
  
“I must admit, I thought you were wasting my time, until last night. Keeping him there at the scene of the crime… And leaving him alone for a stretch of time. Niijima-san was not lying when she said you were brilliant for your age. What better evidence against him than the fact he was present at one of the scenes?”  
  
“Why Akira, might I ask,” Goro kept his sentence short. He felt if he asked more his words would betray the uneasiness brewing in his stomach.  
  
“I could really care less about him; the brat is just unfortunate to belong to a very annoying family. But after his arrest they’ll unravel. We’ll start at the bottom with him and Tatsuya and by extension Katsuya will easily fall apart.”  
  
“Right,” the teenager rose to his feet. “Is there anything else then?”  
  
“Nothing, you have until the end of the week to clean this up.”  
  
Goro nodded, he turned to leave the room as quickly as possible, but stopped with his hand on the door knob, he turned back to Shimazu. “Actually, I have one last question… What about the murderer?”  
  
“Don’t you focus on that. We’ll handle the murderer, you handle obtaining the suspect. Understood?”  
  
“Yes. I understand.”  
  
Goro left the office, his feet carrying him quickly through the halls. Practically to the point that he was running.  
  
What had Sae said to Shimazu to make his perception of him shift like that. Not only that, but for him to disclose so much. What was said and why? Did Sae-san know Shimazu was going to expose himself like that? Did she lie on the phone to him?  
  
Or did she lie to Goro?  
  
“No,” he finally slowed down as he approached Tatsuya’s door. “No, no, she would never… Something must have, been miscommunicated, something… He thinks I’m here for a false conviction. Sae-san would never send me here to do that.”  
  
He put his hand on the door and took a deep breath before opening it.  
  
“Suou-san?” No one was inside. He pulled out his phone and looked at the time. Past nine now… He more than likely already came in, had gone over the evidence from last night, and was out gathering more. The others were most likely doing the same. “I have to tell him what’s going on…”  
  
Goro pulled out his phone and called Tatsuya. He leaned up against the closed office door as he spoke, “Ah, Suou-san! I’m sorry I missed you this morning… I- I had a phone meeting with my superior back in Tokyo.”  
  
“I see.” He noted Tatsuya’s tone was flat, almost displeased. Perhaps he didn’t buy the lie that Sae-san’s call had kept him from coming in on time. But he wasn’t going to tell the man that he over slept.  
  
“Where are you, Suou-san, I need to discuss something very important with you.”  
  
“I’m at Karukozaka High, interviewing staff and students, what do you need?”  
  
“Ah, of course,” it made sense he was at the victim’s high school. “I need to speak with you right away, I’ll head over there at once.”  
  
“No,” Tatsuya’s voice came through sternly before Goro could hang up. “I don’t need you here.”  
  
“Yes, but, what I want to say to you- I feel I need to discuss it with you face to face… If you don’t want me to come there, then I can meet you-”  
  
“No.” He said it again. “Just stay put at the station, Akechi.”  
  
“Ah- at the station?” Goro’s tone deflated a little.  
  
“Yes. I’ll speak to you when I return.”  
  
Goro hesitated, a bit struck by Tatsuya’s decision. “…Why?” He heard the man on the other end of the line make a questioning sound. “Why are you keeping me here?”  
  
“I have no reason to have you help gather information any further. So, stay at the station. We’ll talk when I get back.”  
  
“Tatsuya-!” The detective hung up the phone. Goro looked down at the ‘call ended’ screen, his mouth slightly ajar. Why? Was this over Akira? Or had he found out something- “The call!”  
  
He pushed off the door and started pacing the room. “Akira said don’t say anything I don’t want that man to know through my phone- Sae-san called here. Of course, it’s bugged. She must have said something, or Shimazu said something. That’s why I have this-” He tossed the folder down on Tatsuya’s desk. “That’s why he’s telling me to stay put!”  
  
He sat down dropping his suitcase to the side of his chair before angrily thumbing through the folder. What had Shimazu given him on Akira?  
  
It looked to be a full copy of his assault charges; he wanted his history used to tie evidence of Akira to Mizu-chan’s death. But that didn’t matter to him. What mattered was that this file didn’t have any information withheld, meaning there was something important in there for Goro to find. He skimmed over the information of the assault, where it happened, when, and those involved.  
  
“Assailant: Suou, Akira. Victims:  Kubo, Rei and Shido, Masayoshi… Shido!” Goro pulled the page out of the folder and stared at the name. “No! No, this… This has to be fake.” His eyes focused in on the name; every other word on the page melted away. “It’s- this- is this a joke… Is this intentional…?”  
  
He found himself swallowing hard after every uttered sentence. This just felt wrong. He looked up, away from the paper finally and around the room as if expecting to see someone watching him. He stuffed the paper back into the folder and tossed the entire file into his briefcase before fleeing the office. Goro stopped for no one, letting his feet carry him as quickly as he could away from the police station.

He had no idea where he was going. He just couldn’t be in the police station. It was clear to him now it wasn’t a safe location for multiple reasons. Still, he couldn’t wander without direction forever. Goro stopped at an intersection and paused to think.  
  
“Shido… Is this real? I must be being deceived.” He rubbed his forehead, pressing his fingertips against his skull. He needed answers, and again the only source to get them from was Akira. Goro fished his phone out of his pocket and started to text the other boy.  
  
“No,” he shook his head. He could account for his own phone at all times, but not Akira’s. Who’s to say that after last night it wasn’t also bugged? He instead plugged in Katsugayma High into his navigation app. It showed he could walk there from here. He just had to hope Akira was actually in school today.

 

 

  
Goro approached the familiar gates of the school in under an hour later. By now class was in session, there were not students out and about roaming around like before. He made his way into the halls and quickly glanced around, hoping to find someone that could direct him to the teachers’ office or at least the principal’s. It took him a bit of poking around until he ran into a stray student that directed him up to the third floor.  
  
The principal was shocked to see him; it’s not like they were expecting a visit from the police. Goro quickly explained he was there seeking Akira for questioning. That in fact, the entire investigation team were questioning students that knew the latest victim. It was a lie, but an easy cover up. And hopefully not one that would send any red flags Tatsuya’s way.  
  
He was given access to the student council office to hold his ‘interview’ while Akira was pulled out of class. Goro set up at the table, pulling out the file on Akira’s assault. There was no picture of Shido for him to use while questioning Akira, fortunately he had one of his own. Tucked into a flap on the inside of his case’s top, he had the autobiography Akira had questioned him about when he first arrived. He took it out after Akira had dug through his things, slightly fearful now someone else would pull it out and flip through the notes and information he’d kept in the book.  
  
“This can’t be real… Why is this happening?” He tapped the spine of the book against the palm of his hand and turned towards the window looking outside. It could just be a coincidence. A cruel twist of fate; that this random case and this random teenager are possibly linked to something he’s been chasing for half his life.  
  
When the door opened, Goro turned around to greet Akira. The other teen was surprised to say the least. He shut the door and set his bag down, allowing Morgana to stick his head out.

The cat really did come to school with him…  
  
“Akechi? You should have just said it was you… When they called me out of class to say the police were here, I was expecting anyone other than you. You’re not exactly helping my reputation around here.”  
  
“Sorry,” he offered up an honest apology before motioning for him to take a seat. “I needed to talk to you, and I didn’t want to contact you by phone.”  
  
“Why not?” Akira took a seat, leaning back as he watched the brunette approach.

“I’m certain it’s not, private… At least I know nothing in the station is. And this is not something I want to share with your father or his friend.”  
  
“Oh.”  
  
The two stared at each other for a moment. Goro combing over how to bring up the topic. His book still in his hand, he continued to tap the spine against his palm. Akira tilted his head, watching him think. His eyes were watching the book, like the way a cat watches a mouse. Goro suddenly realized that as soon as he stopped moving it was very likely Akira was going to reach out and take it from him, whether he wanted that or not.

“Akira,” he held the book out to him, “Do you remember this?”  
  
“Yes, it’s that biography I asked you about,” he extended his hand and took it. Goro watched as Akira thumbed over the book’s pages. “You’ve got all these scribbles and bits of paper in here- was it for a school project?”  
  
“No, it’s a personal one…” Goro crossed his arms, “Go to the front of the book, do you recognize the man in the photograph?”  
  
Akira did as he was told and stopped on the black and white picture of a bald man, wearing glasses, and a thinly trimmed beard. The first time he saw the picture he felt a bit of déjà vu, but it wasn’t clear. He’d obviously seen him before, but then again if the man was a politician, he probably saw him on TV numerous times and never cared. “I guess I’ve seen him around.”  
  
“You guess?” Goro asked back more out of annoyance than confirmation.  
  
“What?” Akira looked up at him, “I mean, I know I’ve seen him, but just not where or recently?”

“You met him two years ago,” Goro unfolded his arms and walked back over to his case to pull out the file. He tossed it onto the table next to Akira. “He’s the one that sued you for assault.”  
  
“W-wait, what!?” Akira grabbed the manila folder and flipped it open. He’d never read his own case file before. He skimmed over it, letting his fingers run over every word. He stopped over Shido’s name and then looked back at the book. “I- I never got a good look at his face. It was so dark, and it happened so fast…”  
  
Akira looked up at Goro, “He never came to the trail, and they never used his name. The only time I really got to look at him, he had blood dripping all down his forehead. This is nuts, where did you get this!?”  
  
“Chief Shimazu gave it to me this morning.” Goro grabbed a seat and pulled up next to Akira. “I think he wants me to use the information here to bring a case against you about Mizu-chan. You already have a violent history on file, and were at the crime scene-”  
  
“What? But I didn’t do anything to her!” Akira leaned in closer to him, his voice rising sharply. “We found her together!”  
  
“I know that; I don’t plan to do it… But when I got this, I had to see you. I had to know if you’d ever encountered him before or after this. It’s just, too coincidental-”  
  
“Are you saying you think this, Shido guy, is a part of the murders?”  
  
Goro hesitated but shook his head, “He’s in Tokyo. I know he is.” He leaned forward to let his elbow rest on the table before letting his cheek lean against his knuckles. He kept his eyes on the papers and book on the desk. “Honestly, I don’t know why he was here… I don’t know why you two met. It could all be chance. I just, needed to know.”  
  
Akira kept his hands on his lap, and looked down at the table. Morgana crawled out of his bag and contently walked over the papers in a circle before lying down, obscuring them from view.  
  
“…He’s a bad person, right? This guy, Shido.”  
  
Goro nodded, “I’ve wanted to investigate him for corruption, money laundering, bribery, a number of crimes… But it leads to nowhere. He has too much clout to bring a case against him without others willing to turn on him.”  
  
“That’s what all the notes are about…” Akira took a deep breath, “But why do you want to take him down?”  
  
Goro took his eyes off the table and looked at the teenager next to him. He found himself studying his own reflection in Akira’s grey eyes. The other boy sitting up now, peering at him with the same intrusive curiosity he frequently displayed. He wasn’t speaking, but the anticipation was written on his face. He was hanging on in silence, waiting for Goro to give him the answer. Hs shoulders stiff, and his chest rising and falling faster than usual, he wanted the answer he was holding back.  
  
“It’s not important.”  
  
Akira’s lips parted, and he sighed a bit before turning to look away.

“Well,” he mumbled, “I’ve only met him that one time. Sorry.”  
  
“It’s fine,” Goro got up. He had to pull the file and papers out from under Morgana. The cat only getting up once the last one was removed. “I still need to see you again, later… To talk about the Shadows. But it has to be someplace private.”  
  
“We can meet at the Hideout then,” Akira rose to his feet as well, and scooped up his cat. “But you have to bring the mask we bought.”  
  
“The ‘Hideout’?” Goro repeated the phrase back to him, “What and where is that?”  
  
“You’ll just have to see… Do you know where Seven Sisters is?” Goro nodded. “Great, there’s a wooded area next to the school. Meet me there an hour after it lets out.”  
  
“Eh, alright…” They each packed up their things. Akira waiting for Goro once he had Morgana back in his bag. When they approached the door, the detective paused. “Akira?”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“You never did say it was a problem, to start calling you by your name.”  
  
“Because it’s not,” he smirked at him, tilting his head to the side. “Is it a problem with you?”  
  
“No… I suppose it isn’t.”

 

 

 

After leaving the high school, Goro had time to kill. It would be hours before he had to meet up with Akira, so he was going to make the most of it. He looked up the Shimizu residence, figuring he could do a bit of digging. Perhaps find a link between the girl and Dr. Sawada; anything to tie the man to another murder victim.  
  
The Shimizu’s residence was located in an apartment complex in Hirasaka. Goro realized as he entered the building there was a high likely hood he could run into any one of the other three officers working this case. Tatsuya only mentioned that he was at the high school, not where the others were. Well, if they tried to stop him they’d be sorely disappointed.  
  
The family lived up on the third floor; he didn’t have to search hard for their door. There were a few other residents gathered out front. More than likely come to offer their condolences. He joined in the crowd waiting patiently until he reached the front door.  
  
The woman there looked surprised to see him, but he was younger than the rest at her door.  
  
“Ah, are you one of Chihiro’s friends? Shouldn’t you be in school?”  
  
For a moment his eyes glanced to the side; the woman looked terrible: her face was flushed, there were dried streaks of water over her cheeks. She’d clearly been up all-night crying. And there was a crowd gathered here… He could do this another time, but he only had a week to set this right.  
  
“I’m sorry, Ma’am, no. I didn’t know your daughter,” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his wallet to show her his identification. “My name is Akechi, Goro. May I come inside?”  
  
The woman looked startled, she was clearly unsure if he was joking or not, but he seized the opportunity to push forward and enter the apartment. The woman immediately turned around closing the door behind her, and in face of those left in the hall.  
  
“W-wait just a minute-!” She followed Goro into the front room of the apartment, he hadn’t ventured any further than that. “You can’t just barge in here-! I just lost my daughter!”  
  
“I know,” Goro turned to her. She was a hard sight to look at. But he had to keep his head up high. “I’m sorry, I know this is a hard time, but this is also the best time to figure out what happened to your daughter.”  
  
“I already told that cop from Konan to go away!” She shouted at him.  
  
“A cop? Which one? Who came by? Was it Detective Suou?” If she had already turned the others away that meant there was no chance of getting caught. Excellent.  
  
“I don’t know! He smelled of cigarettes, and I- I just don’t care! They failed to find my girl! Them and that red headed fool!”  
  
Goro twisted his lips. As far as he knew Suou didn’t smoke. And the red head most be Ulala. She was working the disappearance as a private investigator.  
  
“I’m not with either of them, Ma’am,” He lied and bowed his head. “I was sent by the Tokyo Special Investigations Office. We’re now looking into this case.”  
  
“Ah, y-you’re working with an office in Tokyo?”  
  
“Yes, and I promise you, we will find out who did this. We already have a suspect we’re looking at.”  
  
“You do!?” The mother’s face lit up. She almost seemed relieved. “Oh, thank god, someone is doing something!”  
  
“Do you mind if I take a look in your daughter’s room? There may be evidence there of when she had contact with the individual we’re looking into.”  
  
“Yes! Yes!” The woman practically pushed him by the shoulders down the hall, “Right this way, I’ll let you look and, and call my husband! He’ll be so relieved! He had to take off work today, we just didn’t know what to do…”  
  
The woman lead him to a door, with a pin board hanging on it. It was decorated with foam pop out stickers of flowers and butterflies, and had old notes from the woman and her husband about chores that needed to be done. Goro opened the room to find it was slightly less childish.  
  
The walls were covered with posters of idols, TV stars, cut outs from magazines and such along three sides of the room. The wall the bed was up against being the only exception. It had a calendar with dates listed for outings with friends, and photoshoots for _Coolest_ but no listings that had Sawada’s name on it. He skimmed over the posters on the walls, picking out celebrities he recognized and some he didn’t. But none of that would help him in finding a connection to the doctor and the girl.  
  
He set down his suitcase and began searching through the girl’s books and personal items. She had to have some sort of personal journal, or photos, even recordings on her computer that would give insight into what she was up to before her death. Her books proved useless, and the was no sign of a diary.  
  
Mizu-chan did leave behind a laptop, but it required password.  
  
Goro stared at the screen with his arms folded trying to think of what the password could be. He didn’t know anything about her, other than that she was a model, and she dyed her hair pink. He tried entering the name of her high school, of _Coolest_ , her job, hair color, combinations of random words… All of it came up as nothing. His eyes drifted over the room hoping to stumble onto a clue.  
  
He noted that many of her posters were al of the same idol. Brown eyes, copper twin pigtails, and a bright energetic smile.  
  
“Hmn, a Risette fan?” He turned back to the computer. Probably once in his life, Goro had actually listened to a Risette song, and he’s sure it was during his appearance on a show, so he was basically forced to hear it. But the password was a combination of the idol and Mizu-chan’s favorite color.  
  
The girl kept a log of her activities on the laptop. Quickly searching through, he found no evidence or mention of Dr. Sawada. Perhaps this was all for nothing? He scrolled down the last few entries and began combing through them for anything he could use. While there was no mention of Dr. Sawada, he did find a name he recognized.  
  
Chizuru Ishigami.  
  
Mizu-chan was an avid believer of Wang Long fortunetelling. She’d even spent money saved up from her modeling sessions to buy a golden dragon. One that according to her log she’d hidden in her room, worried about how angry her parents would be if they knew she spent nearly twenty-thousand yen on such a thing. But she insisted she needed it. She even had a chance to meet with ‘the Wang Long Chizuru’ and ask her advice.  
  
A personal reading that warned her of a ‘rival’ she was friends with that would ruin her life. And told her she had to distance herself from the other. The only girl Mizu-chan could think of was Ann Takamaki. Chizuru even gave her a ‘special gift’ and instructions to help her change her energy and become better than Ann.  
  
That was weeks before Goro arrived in Sumaru.  
  
“She really was being targeted well before I got here…” He glanced around the room. Somewhere in here was one of those silly dragons. Along with something ‘special’. Well he wasn’t going to leave until he found both. He started opening every drawer, then moved on looking under the bed. He finally found the gold statue tucked away in her closet. It was neatly wrapped up in tissue paper, along with a gold butterfly card.  
  
He took both and stored them in his suitcase just as the door to the bedroom was opened. The girl’s father had returned and both parents were now standing in the doorway.  
  
“This is him!?” the man took one look at Goro and scoffed. “No, no this can’t be right-”  
  
“He showed me his ID!” The wife countered. “This is the investigator.”  
  
“He’s just as child!”  
  
“Excuse me,” Goro again pulled out his identification and displayed I to the man, “I’m sorry for intruding. I understand this is a difficult time for you and your wife. But I am telling the truth. I’m here on behalf of the Tokyo Special Investigations Department. You are free to call the office in Tokyo and confirm as much, but right now I’d like to ask you both a few questions.”  
  
The couple stared at one another for a moment before nodding.  
  
“Excellent, were you aware that your daughter was following the practices of Wang Long fortune telling?”  
  
“Oh, yes,” the mother nodded. “We watched Ishigami-san’s show together every week.”  
  
“Did she ever talk to you about meeting her?”  
  
“She, met her once… After getting tickets for an audience seat.” The father informed him. “What’s that got to do with her death?”  
  
“Just trying to establish a pattern. Another victim frequented the television set-”  
  
“Is the killer someone at the station!” The mother covered her mouth. “Her friends went with her! I- I should call their parents.”  
  
“Please,” Goro interrupted her, “Don’t jump to conclusions or spread misinformation, it could cause a panic, or worse, tip off your daughter’s murderer. I’m trying to determine a pattern of her movements before her disappearance.”  
  
“Well she went to the television station weeks ago,” her father sighed.  
  
“What about Hiiragi Therapy? Did she ever frequent there?” The parents were silent for a moment, hesitating with their answer. “Well?”  
  
“I- Chihiro would come, sometimes, to walk home with me.” Her father confessed. “But she wasn’t there as a patient, I am.” His wife reached forward to pat his back. “It was just for a little while. I’m not crazy! I don’t have any problems I just, my thoughts were keeping me up at night. Made it hard to sleep, hard to work… My doctor suggested Hiiragi Therapy. And I saw Dr. Sawada there for some time.”  
  
“Dr. Sawada?” Goro could feel his expression brightening up. That was the connection he really wanted. But he did his best not to appear too enthusiastic about it. “Did he ever meet your daughter?”  
  
“No, they never spoke.”  
  
“Did ever prescribe you medication?” The father nodded in response. “Did she ever take any? Or did the medication ever go missing?”  
  
“No, no! She would never do anything like that. Our daughter was a sweet girl, she had no problems. None at all that required medication.”  
  
“Right.” Goro tapped his chin. Well he at least knew Sawada was connected to this as well. Even if he supposedly never saw the daughter directly. “Thank you. That’s enough for me to go on.”  
  
“So, do you know who did this?” The mother asked.  
  
“I can’t disclose that yet. But I promise, the culprit will be brought to justice.”

Goro left the apartment complex with Chihiro’s laptop, the dragon statue, and his third butterfly card. He hadn’t gained much evidence that they were all connected to Sawada outside of tangential evidence, but he was going to make it stick.  
  
Once outside the building, he started down the street, desiring to put distance between himself and the Shimizu residence. He only made it as far as the end of the block before he heard someone calling to him. Goro turned his head to see Ulala, standing on the opposite corner of the intersection, leaning up against a car that he assumed was her’s; the woman was beckoning for him to come over. He hesitated for a second, deciding if he should respond to her invitation.

She was one of Tatsuya’s friends, and she worked with that shady character. It was very likely she would report what he was up to. Then again if he ran, for certain she’d report his activity, and that would just make him look even more suspicious in the detective’s eyes. So reluctantly he crossed the street to speak to her.  
  
“Good Afternoon, Serizawa-san. How are you?”  
  
“You can skip the pleasantries, kid,” Ulala laughed lightly at him. It wasn’t appreciated. “I saw you come out of the Shimuzu place… So, what did you find out?”  
  
“Find out?” Goro parroted her question back to her with a quizzical glance. “I found nothing, unfortunately I wasn’t allowed in.”  
  
“Really?” Ulala lifted her sleeve to look at her watch. “By my estimate you were up there for at least half an hour, and you found nothing?” Goro’s lip twitched upon being called out. “It’s not best to lie, you know? You’re not going to make any friends that way. Didn’t your mother ever teach you that?”  
  
“My mother…” He looked away from her, her words and his own testing his resolve not to snap over the topic. “Do you need something of me? If not I’m very busy.”  
  
“And very testy,” the red head didn’t seem inclined to let up. “Look, I’m sure you’re out here on your own trying to do the right thing. But you _should_ do it with us. Trying to deceive everyone, you’re just making this case harder than it should be. We _don’t_ want to have to keep tabs on you. There’s already enough going on that I should be spending my time doing something better.”  
  
“Then go do it!” He turned back at her, voice raising as his exhaustion over the situation caught up with him. He already struggled enough as it was in normal stations back in Tokyo, he didn’t have it in him to cater to a bunch of paranoid conspiracy theorist. “All of you since before I even got here had your minds made up. Why should I work to change them? I haven’t even done anything to justify your distrust, you just decided I was against you-”  
  
“Whoa!” Ulala pushed off her car, “Where did all that come from? It’s not healthy to harbor all that anger…” She sighed. “Maybe you’re right, Tatsuya and Baofu already made up their minds before you got here. But that doesn’t mean you can’t win them over. All I’m saying is be honest. Even about the little stuff. And especially the personal stuff! You say you don’t owe it to us to try, fine, but don’t you at least owe it to Akira?”  
  
“Akira…” Goro frowned. “Why does that matter, how you all see me?”  
  
“You’re with him all the time. Even if you weren’t here for a case, don’t you think you ought to try and make nice with your boyfriend’s parents? I mean you can’t expect anyone’s family to be okay with someone who encourages their kid to lie to them.”  
  
“I don’t encourage Akira to lie to Suou-san!” He retorted.  
  
“Is that so?” She raised her eyebrows. “And yet, whenever you’re together, he tells no one where he’s going or what he’s doing. He tells Jun and Tatsuya he’s spending time with someone else, you two hang out in arguably dangerous places… Like I said the case aside, you’re kind of not making yourself out to be a model influence.”  
  
“Akira was already that way. You can’t blame me for his behavior.”  
  
Ulala sighed, “But what are you doing to help him? Honestly, what are you doing to stop him from doing this stuff?”  
  
“I tell him constantly not to- what more do you want?” Goro raised his shoulders, shrugging.  
  
“Maybe telling Tatsuya yourself what you’re up to. Akira’s always been a bit, reckless, but even when he was dating Yusuke, they knew he was going to be safe. After last night, that’s clearly not happening with you.”  
  
“Yusuke?” Goro tilted his head. “The boy who’s gone? They were dating?”  
  
“Oh? Akira didn’t tell you… I mean if you know he’s not here, I would have figured he told you that much.”  
  
“I, just knew they were close…” Goro shook his head, resolving to think about it later. If Akira didn’t want to tell him, then it didn’t matter. “-It’s not as if anything is happening between us anyway. Things with Akira, just happened that way. I have no intention of hurting Suou-san’s son or being involved with him. Events have just been unfortunate.”  
  
“Is that so?”  
  
“Yes,” he looked Ulala in the eye. “I don’t plan for anything like this to happen. Fate is just, being very cruel about our circumstances.”  
  
“Ha!” Ulala covered her mouth. But she kept laughing. “That has to be the most melodramatic thing I’ve heard out of someone your age in a while. And I hold conversations with Akira, who talks about dying every other week!” She kept chuckling missing Goro’s discontent stare.  
  
“Are we finished here?”  
  
“Yeah, I’m done, I’m done…” She waved her hand in front of her face. “You’re free to return to your investigation. But be sure to share with us what you found freely, before we have to find out some other way, okay?”  
  
“I’ll think about.” Goro turned on his heels and walked back across the street and away from Ulala as fast as his feet would let him.

 

 

 

After walking without destination or reason for a stretch of time Goro’s feet managed to carry him toward Seven Sister’s High School. Really, he would have liked someplace private he could sit and more carefully comb over Chihiro’s laptop, or examine the dragon statue. But that wasn’t going to be happening anytime soon. So instead his mind and feet wandered.

He wasn’t out to cause trouble. It was true what he said. Everything with Akira had just been unfortunate. Even he didn’t know how things ended up this way, but he shouldn’t be the one being punished for it.  
  
“I even did try!” he scoffed at the open air. He was walking along the southern side of the school, outside a gate that separated him from the track field. Down the road he could see the start of a line of trees, that must be the location Akira wanted to meet at. “I tried to tell him, and Suou-san told me to ‘stay put’. Really, any miscommunication that happens from here on is his fault.” Goro felt confident that he was right in this situation. Even if he had made missteps before, he’d done nothing to deserve this kind of treatment.  
  
As he reached the end of the fence he looked over the trees next to the sidewalk, wondering how long he’d have to wait around here for Akira. And actually _where_ in all of this did Akira want him to wait? Wasn’t he banned from school grounds? He couldn’t possible expect to be able to hide out and have a conversation here, no matter how secluded it seemed.  
  
He took a step into the line of trees, glancing around. They were fairly sparse. There were a lot of them, but it was easy to see around and make out if anyone was hanging out among them. In fact, as he scanned the area his eyes meet with another person walking a few feet ahead. A woman, with short black hair and blue eyes. Goro could just see her clearly from the waist up, but she was wearing a white windbreaker jacket with a blue workout shirt underneath. He started to back up when she called to him.  
  
“Hey! Are you skipping the end of classes?” She turned and started walking towards him, her gaze scrutinizing until they were within arm’s length of each other. “Wait, you’re not a Sevens kid.”  
  
“Ah, no I’m not, sorry…” Goro shook his head. “I’m just passing through.”  
  
“Hmn,” the woman looked him over, “Even if that’s true, you’re still pretty young. Where are you a student? Are you skipping out from somewhere else? Coming to meet your friends?”  
  
“No, no. I’m not a high school student. I’ve already graduated. I’m here visiting from Tokyo.”

“Tokyo?” the woman’s brows raised for a minute, highlighting her expression with astonishment, but only for a minute. “Oh, I know you.”  
  
“You do?” He was surprised by that. Maybe she was a fan, but the way she reacted wasn’t enthusiastic. She was actually very reserved.  
  
“You’re an investigator, right? Here to ask the students questions?” Goro hesitated to answer her, but she turned her head east, “There’s a path, further up that way, if that’s what you were looking for. The trail leads right to the school.”  
  
“I see, thank you,” Goro started to walk off and she called to him again.  
  
“However, classes are going to let out soon. You’d do better to come back tomorrow.” He thanked her again and kept walking. The woman put her hands on her hips and spoke again, “Sylvia already questioned the kids here that knew Chihiro. You might not get anything new…”  
  
Goro turned around, eyeing her for a second. Her expression was so flat, he couldn’t tell if this was someone he should be worried about or not. “Actually,” he opted to deflect. “I’m more interested in learning about the teacher that committed suicide here.”  
  
“Oh,” she lowered her hands. That answer surprised her again. “… It’s been a long time since anyone’s asked about Kashihara-sensei. I don’t even think there’s anyone left to talk to you about him.”  
  
“But you know about him,” Goro turned back to her and took a few steps closer. “Would you care to talk about him, for just a bit?”  
  
“Hmn,” the woman looked him over. “Fine, but not out here. At my office… I’m Yoshizaka, Anna. The track coach.” She turned and took him back over to the walking path she mentioned and led him back over to the school’s main grounds. “Sorry about accusing you. I’m missing a student, I figured he was hiding out in the trees.”  
  
“Ah, is that a normal place for truant students?”  
  
“It’s a normal way for them to sneak off. Ducking through the trees. And Sakamoto’s the worse to catch, he can out run every teacher.”  
  
“Sa- Sakamoto, huh?” Goro cleared his throat. He didn’t even want to make it seem like he knew who that was.  
  
“He’s a fantastic runner.  But spent his entire second year recovering. I wish he wouldn’t skip practices,” Anna lead Goro into the building and up to her office. It was filled with pictures of past track teams that had won awards or been recognized on a national level, as well as odds and ends of track equipment. “Have a seat,” Anna pulled a spare chair from the corner and pushed it to Goro before sitting herself.  
  
“So what do you want to know?”  
  
“Hmn,” Goro glanced around the room, “I guess it would be prudent to start with you Yoshizaka-san, what’s your connection to Kashihara-san? You seem, like you would be relatively young when his death occurred.”  
  
“That’s true,” Anna leaned back. “I was a kid at the time. Honestly, I just remembered it from the news until I started attending here. There were rumors that he haunted the school… I learned the most about him from his son, Jun.”  
  
“Oh, ah,” the brunette rubbed his chin. “Kashihara, Jun was your friend?”  
  
“Suou, now. And still is,” she lightly smiled. “So, is Tatsuya. We bad behavior types stick together.”  
  
Goro nodded, watching her expression. So she knew both of them, that’s why she ‘knew’ who he was. “Bad behavior? Detective Suou doesn’t strike me as the type…”  
  
“Don’t be fooled.” She shook her head. “We’ve all grown up, and gotten respectable jobs. But back in high school. Tatsuya was ‘Mr. Unapproachable’. We became friends because I was ‘Ms. Unapproachable.’ Two kids that hardly spoke, that hardly wanted to be here, teachers criticized us for always looking so ‘scary’ and ‘serious’; for never knowing what we wanted to do with ourselves. Senior year was a pain.”  
  
“And yet you’re a teacher now? What happened?”  
  
Anna fell quiet for a moment. “I was struck by a car in high school. Before that I was our fastest track runner. The damage was so severe, I thought I lost everything. So, I didn’t want anything. My favorite place to skip was hanging out at Club Zodiac. Sometimes Tatsuya would hangout there with me after school… But during school hours I ran into him, into Jun. I thought I had problems.”  
  
She shook her head and looked at the floor, “He could be so sweet and at the flip of a switch have such a violent temper.” She shrugged. “I didn’t think too much of it at the time, since I was on his ‘sweet side’.”  
  
“And Jun talked to you about his father? About why he killed himself?”  
  
“Family.” Was all she said. “There’s a bunch of crazy rumors, about what he was into, and occult practices, and plenty of madness. But at the end of the day, it was family and heartbreak.”  
  
She looked back up at Goro, “I guess back then I could relate, all his dreams died when his wife turned on him. All my dreams died when that car struck me. So, I hung out with Jun, we were dreamless. Tomorrow didn’t matter. I could have easily died back then. I think he could have too. His only other friend was that wound up kook Sudou.”  
  
“Jun-san and Sudou were friends? When he was in high school? But he would have been much older, why would he hang out with a high schooler?”  
  
“Sudou was Kashihara’s student. Jun said they hung out because he knew his father and admired him. He probably liked having someone around that appreciated his father- Have you ever met Kurosu-san? She doesn’t have a single good thing to say about her husband. It used to eat Jun up inside.”  
  
“And Jun was- is pretty,” Anna added, “He could easily upstage any girl in our grade back then. Tatsuya’s girlfriend at the time even gave up.”  
  
“That would be, Lisa Silverman? The former Muses idol.”  
  
“That’s right,” Anna nodded. She got up from her seat and looked out the window over the track field. “Jun said all his father’s dreams died before he did. He wasn’t himself when he took his life. But, when he talked to Sudou and they talked about that book he wrote he seemed happy. Maybe they each thought it had a new dream for them…” she turned back to Goro. “Ah, it would have continued on like that I suppose if I hadn’t gotten Tatsuya involved.”  
  
“Tatsuya split them apart?” Goro nodded, “Other than the obvious, was there a reason why?”  
  
Anna started to open her mouth and then shut it, “There’s no proof of it. But you can ask Jun why I got Tatsuya involved. But it made me reconsider hanging onto the past. I started to move forward, still I never became as fast as I was. But I focused on the fact I could teach others to reach new heights. I think that’s really what Kashihara wanted for kids like me and Jun.”  
  
“So that’s why you were both teachers here-”  
  
“I didn’t start here at Sevens. I was invited two years ago, after the former coach was arrested.” She shrugged. “By the time I was here Jun was leaving over Akira, and things were kind of souring, but I still wanted to do some good.”  
  
“The, former coach was arrested?”  
  
“Yeah, it’s a long story, but Akira and his friends are ones for trouble,” Anna rolled her eyes. “Guess he inherited that from his dad. The old coach ended up busting Sakamoto’s leg. But being an injured athlete myself, and his not being as bad as hit from a car, we worked all last year to get him in shape. He’s not as fast as he was, but he can run like the wind in short burst. As long as he doesn’t fuck it up again it should stay that way.”  
  
“Hmn,” Goro nodded at her just as the last school bell rang. “Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to distract you for so long.”  
  
“Its alright, though I can’t say I gave you much insight into Kashihara-sensei.”  
  
Goro stood up grabbing his briefcase, “No, but even a bit of knowledge about pervious events… I have a feeling those problems you talked about back then are related to this.”  
  
“If that’s your subtle way of saying you think Sudou is a murderer, you’re right.”  
  
“Huh!?” He almost dropped his case at her words. That was what he thought, but he didn’t think she had the knowledge to call him out on it.  
  
Anna shook her head, “I’ve got no proof… But I saw it. Jun saw it too. That’s why I got Tatsuya involved. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s killing again.”  
  
“Who did he kill…?”  
  
“The man that stole my dream,” she sighed and walked back over to her desk.  
  
“Could you, maybe clarify that for me?”  
  
Anna shook her head. “There’s no proof. Tatsuya’s brother looked into it, a lot went on, but nothing came of it. I don’t even like to think about it anymore. But Sudou’s crazy. Jun wasn’t going to walk away from that situation on his own, so when I found out Tatsuya used to be his best friend, I got him involved.”  
  
“I see, I’m sorry to hear that.”  
  
The woman turned back to him, a faint smile on her lips and her blue eyes fixed on him. “You didn’t do anything wrong, kid. Go on, get out of here before you cause trouble.”  
  
With that he nodded to her, exiting the room. Out in the halls plenty of Sevens students were making their way home. It was easy to follow the crowds out without drawing any attention. Goro made his way back to the wooded area and found a place near where the path emptied out into the road to wait for Akira.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I could retitle this Chapter Goro vs Adults but then all I get in my head is a Scott Pilgrim like image of Akechi pointing obnoxiously...


	21. Masked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeey, long time no update. Life with a muse that comes and goes like the wind is hard... But a big shout out to [Rudolphsd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rudolphsd/pseuds/Rudolphsd) for taking up the role of my beta! Cause God knows when I was rolling my character stat sheet I rolled a freaking 1 on processing/creating written language... Anyway, let's get to torturing some teenagers- I mean reading. Reading a fun wholesome story.
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

Goro left Seven Sisters High School and followed the foot traffic of students out through the trees to the end of the path. Right to where Akira wanted to meet. However, there was still an hour to kill.

 He found himself leaning against a tree near the sidewalk as he watched the students filter out. Luckily, none of them seemed interested in bothering him, though he did note a few curious glances. If this had been Tokyo, he would have been besieged with a number of questions, stares, and nervous laughter. He was thankful for the fact that the Sevens students seemed only to have a hint of why he might be there or who he might be.

 It gave him time to think on what he knew while he waited for Akira.

 Goro supposed it should come as no surprise to him that understanding the murders in this case would require he dive into the past. That was often the case when trying to understand a murderer, and their motivations. And the past of Sumaru City was ever turning out to be as bloody as its present.

 “And it all still focuses around the Sudou and Suo families…” He took out his phone and started to type in a timeline as he reviewed information.

 The two Tatsuyas were at the center of this problem. It started well before he got here, hell well before he was born. Sudou and Suou had a rivalry that started before they met. Their seniors really kicked it off… The investigation of Tatsuzou and his son by Tatsuya’s father was the first problem.

 And it was one that Tatsuya himself had tipped Goro off to.

 “The New World Order, a group with political ties, occult dealings, and enough clout to ruin a police officer and cover up an attempted murder by a politician’s son. Still don’t know anything about it beyond that.” He set his briefcase down, so he could type with both hands on the keypad. “The two Tatsuyas have their first clash during this time… The Alaya Shrine is burned down, Maya Amano is injured, Sudou loses an eye and is committed to Morimoto…”

 “But why does he burn down the shrine?” Goro tapped his chin in thought. “Certainly not for his father, by all indications there’s no connection there. Tatsuzou’s desire to cover up Tatsuya’s crimes is more preservation of his image, not for his son. Did he burn it down just because he’s crazy…?” Goro pulled his hand away from his chin and started typing again. “He burns it down because he ‘hears aliens,’ according to Okamura-san. Leading back into the occult. Just like Tatsuya said…”

 Goro stared at his screen. Were all of these killings really based on crazy beliefs? Surely it couldn’t _just_ be that. Not form what he’d seen. Sawada and Chief Shimazu were playing a political game. They had something to gain from all this. It was clear, even if he didn’t know what it was. But all the victims had connections to the doctor: a man who seemed to be toying with his patients (if the unknown prescription he found Okamura was receiving and Akira’s strange medications were any indication). And Tatsuya and Baofu were convinced the Chief was hiding some greater secret. One that they felt Goro was in on.

 “No,” he started typing again, “One that they think Special Investigations is in on. The Chief, SIU and Sudou- even if that’s preposterous, something must make them think that. And Sudou is connected to all the suspects and Kashihara. The teacher that killed himself supposedly over occult beliefs.”  
  
“Jun and Sudou were friends upon his release. But why? Yoshizaka-san says it was over his father but- Really? Jun really willingly befriended a man who tried to kill two of his friends? Who supposedly killed his own father? And kept killing from what Yoshizaka-san says...”

 He tilted his head back to look up at the limbs of the tree over his head.

 “Why? Was he really so desperate for that connection that he’d turn a blind eye to those things? Jun-san strikes me as anything but complacent…”

 Then again, Goro supposed he could relate, at least in idea. He watched the leaves swaying overhead, with the gaps of light breaking through the leaves. Kashihara died when Jun was around seven years old. And something in him craved to get that bond back. The family he lost, the father he had to give up prematurely. And if stories of Kurosu-san were true, it wasn’t like he had fulfilling and pleasant relationship to take its place.

Maybe Jun _would_ do anything to get some semblance to get that back. After all wasn’t he on a similar mission? Not for a chance to get back a connection he enjoyed, no. But he was willing to do the extreme for the sake of man he hadn’t known. It wasn’t out of love, but contempt. He didn’t want fond memories, or pleasant thoughts, but he was desperate. Putting himself in situations with people far over his age and his experience just for a chance to stand before one person, one time and get a feeling. A feeling and acknowledgement that he understood that he hated him. And that maybe for a brief moment he’d hate himself as much as-

Goro jerked his head down when he felt a weight on his phone.

 Standing in front of him was Akira. At some point he ridden up on his bike, and now had his hand gently pushing down on Goro’s phone.

 “You awake?” He tilted his head to the side.

 “Akira, when did you get here?” Goro pulled his phone away, tucked into his jacket pocket.

 “About three minutes ago, but you looked… Sad. Everything okay?”

 “Sad?!” Goro’s eyes when wide for a moment and he shook his head, “No, just thinking about the case. And other cases. A lot of things to sort out really.” Goro cleared his throat and picked up his briefcase. “Anyway, right now we’re talking about your problem.”

 Akira nodded, “Yes, but no here. The Hideout isn’t far.”

 “The Hideout? You’ve mentioned that before… Are you sure it’s safe?”

 “Safer than the park, hop on,” he motioned to the back of his bike and Goro hesitated.

 “Is it far?”

 “No.”

 “Then let’s walk,” Goro smiled politely, but Akira tossed him a slight glare in response. Still he slid off the seat of his bike and put his bag on the back. Morgana popped his head out to watch the world slowly go by as the two walked away from the Sevens property.

  
  


As promised, the walk wasn’t far at all. Akira only lead Goro a few city blocks north before arriving at a park at the base of Mt. Iwato. If he looked back, Goro could even still see the tops of the Seven Sisters trees and the school clock tower. They entered the park, walking along a little the little nature trail until Akira stopped next to a roped off path with a pair of ‘Keep Out’ and ‘No Trespassing’ signs. Goro watched as he lifted his bike over the rope and started walking again.

 The detective himself stopped at the rope and looked at the raven-haired boy’s retreating back.

 “Akira…” the other stopped and looked back. Goro pointed down at the signs, his expression flat.

 In return Akira shrugged him off, “They’re just for show. Come on. We’re almost there.”

 Goro let out a sigh as he stepped over the rope and followed. Muttering to himself about the fact that he should have known it was going to be this way. It was only a few feet from the rope that Akira started to climb a set of old stairs. All the overgrown foliage crunched under their feet. At least he was right about the fact that no one came up here. Yet, Goro was sure that from the top of the stairs he could hear the faintest sound of music. Strings strumming slowly.

 Once at the top he stopped in his tracks. Akira kept walking forward, to prop his bike up against two others resting against an old stone lantern post half covered in vines and moss. The entire area was overgrown, the building half busted and semi-repaired.

 “Alaya Shrine?” Goro looked around the neglected area. As he did so the music stopped. His eyes fell on a middle school girl with purple hair, holding a guitar with a white mask over the right half her face. He recognized her instantly. Goro raised his hand to greet Akira’s cousin but she suddenly jumped up and rushed up the stairs of the shrine.

 She slid back the piece of plywood being used as a door and shouted inside.

 “Jigs up! The cops are here!!” From inside Goro could hear a mixture of confusion and shouts.

 “What!?” A girl cried out.

 “Fuck this!” An extremely boisterous male voice came, followed by the sound of something crashing.

 “Hey, watch it!!” A second boy shouted.

 “Quick! Out the back out the back!”

 “Oh for crying out loud…” Akira shook his head and motioned for Goro to approach. Akira walked up to the door and pushed aside further. “Knock it off! There’s no cops!” The detective stayed at the bottom of the stairs listening to Akira shout at the group inside.

 Etsuko immediately started laughing. She kept one hand firmly on the neck of her guitar and the other wrapped around her side.

 “Oh, god DAMN it. I was winning that hand!” Goro could hear the one that swore earlier yelling at Etsuko.

 “No you weren’t!! You don’t even know what cards I had!” A girl retorted.  
  
 “I hadn’t dropped out yet eith-” another male voice started but was cut off.  
  


 “Don’t lie man, you were shaking like a leaf in the wind, you were so out.”

 “Can we just pick up the table, please?” The last voice seemed exhausted with all the chaos.

“So what’s the big surprise?” the supposed winner of the card game asked.

 “I brought a new member,” Akira moved to the side and motioned to Goro standing at the base of the steps. From here Goro could see four faces turned his direction. Each one clearly belonging to Akira’s friends, but everyone was wearing a mask. Ann stood to the far left, the top half of her face covered by red mask styled like a big cat; next to her was Yuuki, all of his face save for his mouth was covered by a dark green gecko mask; to the right of him Shiho stood adjusting a deer mask over her eyes. And at the far right was Ryuji pushing up the grey skull mask that covered the top half of his face.

 “No,” was the first word out of his mouth. “Absolutely not.”

 “Skull,” Shiho nudged him.

 “Are you kidding me!” He pointed at Goro and then looked at everyone else. “You want invite a cop to hang out with us!? HERE!?”

 “I’m sure Joker has a good reason… Right?” Ann looked at Akira.

 “Let’s set the table back up and I’ll explain everything.” Akira motioned to the foldup table on the ground. Scattered around it were several playing cards and several assorted snacks and treats.

 Goro came up the stairs the rest of the way to stand in the door as the rest of the teens cleaned up their mess. He turned to Akira a bit confused, “Joker?”

 “That’s my name,” the black haired teen responded so matter-of-factly. As if it was common knowledge. He helped Yuuki and Ryuji flip the table back up and then walked over to the wall to grab a black and white pointed domino mask and put it on. Everyone was else was still picking up cards and food- save Ryuji who was lamenting over what had gotten smashed.

 Etsuko also wasn’t helping. She’d taken up a spot in the corner, sitting on a chair by herself strumming her guitar and humming.

 Once the mess was cleaned and everyone else had taken a seat, Akira stood at the front of the table.

 “Okay, let’s begin again,” Akira turned to Goro. “Goro, I want to introduce you to the Masked Circle.”

 “Gen two,” Etsuko chimed in from the corner.

 “Gen two?” The detective shrugged. Again, a statement that meant nothing to him that they expect him to take as fact.

 “You know like Devil Children... There’s a generation one and generation two. Two is newer, better, has a little bit of the old mixed in-”

 Yuuki interrupted her, “I actually prefer the fourth installment of those games.”

 Etsuko let one had drop from her guitar, and sighed, “You are hands down, the worst nerd I have ever met.”

 Goro cleared his throat, “That doesn’t really explain anything. Other than that Mishima-san plays a certain type of video game.”

 Both Etsuko and Yuuki apologized and let Akira continue. “This is our Hideout. It’s where we meet to get away from what bothers us. Or discuss anything that we need help with.”

 “And the mask?”

 “It’s part of tradition. The original circle all met for the first time wearing masks, and identified each other by them. So, we do the same. Your mask, your identity here is whoever you think you should be- not who are out there. It’s a way to free yourself from what’s weighing you down.” Akira started going round the table. “This is Panther,” Ann nodded and smiled, “and Huntress.” Shiho lifted her hand and waved her fingers.

 “This is Chameleon,” Akira pointed to Yuuki, “And Skull.” He pointed to Ryuji next. The blond crossed his arms and pulled his mask back down over his eyes. “Specter is hanging out in the corner,” Akira jerked his thumb over to his cousin. Morgana jumped up onto the table, and looked at Akira expectantly. The teenager patted his head, “I wasn’t going to forget you, Mona.”

 “But you forgot his scarf,” Ann spoke up, motioning for the cat to come to her. As soon as he was close enough she started wrapping a yellow handkerchief around its neck.

 “Even the cat has a nickname…” Goro shook his head. “Hmn,” Goro looked around the old shrine scanning over the group of teenagers. “I think I understand most of the naming conventions… But why ‘Joker’?” He turned to look at Akira.

 “Unpredictable.” Ann nodded confidently as Morgana walked away from her to lie in the middle of the table.

 “The best card if it’s in your hand, but the worst if it’s used against you.” Yuuki added.

 “Wild.” Ryuji tacked on, raising his hand to give Akira a thumbs up.

 “He cheats.” The teens all turned to look at Etsuko. She shrugged them off. “You know he cheats. You have _all_ caught him at some point.”

 “I see, so if I were to join I’d also need a name-”

 “And a mask,” Ruyji tapped his. “He hasn’t got one, Joker. You brought him up here for nothing.”

 “Actually,” Goro set his briefcase down and opened it up to pull out the black mask. He’d brought it along, as requested. Ruyji grumbled, but Ann balked at the sight of it.

 “Whoa, it’s so… dark. Kind sinister don’t you think?”

 “Like a supervillain’s mask,” Shiho added.

 “So all I need now is a name, correct?”

 “Hold on!” Ryuji spoke up again, “We ain’t voted on this yet. You can’t just bring him in here without a good reason, Joker. We voted on everyone- even Specter!”

 Akira crossed his arms, “I have a good reason for bringing him, really, we just need to use the Hideout. But it’s for the Masked Circle only. So he has to join… Though really I wish I was bringing him here under different circumstances.”

 “He has to use the Hideout?” Yuuki scratched his head as he questioned Akira’s reason.

 “Perhaps it would be best if I explained.” Goro took over the conversation. “As I know you are all aware, just last evening Chihro Shimizu lost her life, brutally murdered by the serial killer plaguing the city. I was sent here by Tokyo Special Investigations in an attempt to find and capture this murderer, and I believe I have a solid lead.”

 “You do?” Ann slammed her hands down on the table, “That’s amazing! That’s fantastic!”

 “I wish I could say the same,” Goro shook his head, “A few things have come to my attention: One, there’s more than one killer; two, the police station is not a safe place for me to operate. Anything I do there will be monitored, and possibly feed back to the killers I’m trying to apprehend; three, I’m positive Dr. Jinnosuke Sawada is one of those killers and finally,” he turned to look at boy standing next to him, “Akira’s hallucinations of ‘Shadows’ pursuing him are in fact the killers responsible for Shimizu-san’s and the other strange murders around Sumaru City.”

 “Wait-!”

 “What!?”

 “The killer is after Akira!?”

 “Hold on- what- what are you talking about?”

 All of Akira’s friends stood up from their seats and began trying to ask questions over one another. Their raised voices and non-stop barrage made it hard to understand who was saying what. Akira held up his hands and started raising his voice to match theirs, trying to get everyone to calm down.

 “Look, we don’t really know anything about either! But that’s why Goro needs the Hideout! He wants to help me catch the Shadows. To catch the person that killed Mizu-chan. So, we _have_ to let him use the Hideout.”

 “But, Joker,” Etsuko spoke up again, this time she was up out of her chair. “Your hallucinations aren’t real. You can’t catch what isn’t there.”

 “I stabbed one.” Goro stepped to Akira’s side to get a good look at the middle schooler. “I stabbed him last night, when we found Shimizu-san. He’s very much real. Meaning, I can catch him. It’s my job to, and while I would appreciate the use of your little Hideout so I can work in peace- even if you turn me down, I’ll still do my job. Assistance or not, I’ve done plenty on my own before.”

 The group was quiet for a moment looking back and forth between themselves before Ryuji let the loudest sigh. “All right, so what are we calling this nerd?”

 At Ryuji’s response Akira face lit up with a smile, “Well I think it’s only right to let him name himself. Everyone else did.”

 Goro looked around, they were all watching him now. He picked up his mask and started into his reflection on the black smoothed dome for a moment. He could think of a number of sinister things that would fit such an image. But his name didn’t have to be limited to his mask. Akira’s was tied to his wild card nature. He considered himself more steady. He was calculating, observant, determined. All the things he felt a detective should be.

 “Ace,” Goro looked up and arranged the mask on his head in away so that is sat on his hair, not covering his face.

 “Ace?” Yuuki wrinkled his nose, “With that grim mask?”

 “I get it!” Shiho clapped her hands together. “If a Joker’s not in play, Aces are the best cards in the deck.”

 “No, no,” he shook his head. “I didn’t pick it to compliment Ak- I mean Joker’s name.”

 “Aww, really,” Ann shook her head. “That’s a shame. It’d be kind of cute.”

 “Not everyone is as gross as you and Huntress.”

 “Spoken like the true single, loser that you are, Skull.” Ann retorted. “Stop being bitter about every couple you see!”

 “I’m not bitter!”

 “We’re- we’re not a couple,” Goro muttered with a frown, but his words were lost in Ann and Ryuji’s back-and-forth. Akira grabbed two folding chairs from the wall and opened them up for himself and Goro to sit. He then took the deck of playing cards and started to shuffle, asking Yuuki to divide up the snakes among everyone.

 “So, what’s your plan?” Shiho asked, ignoring her girlfriend and Ryuji.

 “Well, I have to work quickly… Chief Shimazu has only given me a week. Once it’s up, he wants to arrest Akira for Chihiro’s murder.”

 “That’s absurd!” Shiho covered her mouth.

 “That man is scum. He looks like a giant rat in a coat.” Yuuki pushed a pile of candies Goro’s way. “I ran into him at the Ramen shop once, he yelled at me. I spilled by bowl all down the front of my shirt…”

 “It’s to my understanding Suou-san isn’t fond of him either,” Goro watched as Akira started dealing out cards. His hands were fast, sending them flying and spinning to land in front of each of his friends. “How did he become the head of the station?”

 “Dad says money from the Sudou estate. Payed off a few folks, helps that a lot of higher ups were rounded up for corruption by my uncle.”

 “And he didn’t get caught?”

 Akira snorted, “Conveniently, the one guy that was going to testify against everyone, the Chief at the time, turned up dead in his cell. They said he fought with the security guard and shot him, then himself.”

 Goro let out a sigh and leaned forward to let one of his elbows rest against the table so he could rub his forehead with his finger tips. “Is everything in this city a mess?”

 “Uh, yeah, isn’t that why they sent you here, Ace?” Skull started picking through his candy as Akira finished dealing out hands. Everyone glanced over their cards except Goro. What candy was left was split up into a pot in the middle of the table. One that Morgana started lightly poking at with his paws.

 “...Are you all playing poker with candy?”

 “Would you prefer we do it with money?” Akira turned to face him.

 “Money games are banned since you turn up the cheating into high gear, Joker,” Shiho glanced at him from the edge of her hand.

 “You- conned your friends out of their money?” Goro sighed.

 “Actually he conned us out of our money and then gave it all to Fox.”

 “Fox… That’s Kitagawa, Yusuke, correct?”

 “Wow, he already knows about Fox? That online profile was right, you can’t keep a secret from him,” Yuuki tossed small package of candy into the pot.

 “Why are you reading online profiles about me?” Goro eyed him. He still hadn’t looked at his cards. Yuuki opened his mouth a few times before clearing his throat.

 “S-so anyone else going in on this hand?”

 “I am,” Shiho added two snacks to the pile. “So, we have a week to help you catch the killer, what’s the plan?”

 “We? No,” Goro shook his head. “I’m just using this place as a base of operation. I’m not involving civilians in this.”

 “Why not?” Shiho let her cheek rest against her knuckles. “We know Joker better than anyone and the city. We could help!”

 “Huntress, come on. Tatsuya would probably lose his mind if Goro reported back that he was having us help.” Ann picked up one candy bar and added it to Yuuki and Shiho’s pile in the middle.

 “Actually, I’m not reporting any of this activity to Suou-san.”

 “What!?” Akira’s friends stopped playing to look at Goro, completely baffled.

 “Why the hell not?!” Ryuji demanded an answer first. “If you think the killer is after Akira, shouldn’t his own father know!?”

 Goro hesitated for a moment. He didn’t want to tell them Tatsuya was having trust issues with him. That would possibly cause a conflict. Yet clearly, them knowing he planned to keep Tatsuya out of the loop was also an issue.

 “As I said before, the police station is not a safe place to exchange information. I’m worried Tatsuya is under surveillance. It will be easier for me to operate the less he knows.” A quick and easy lie.

 “That’s horse shit,” Ryuji crossed his arms. Lie rejected.

 “I mean I guess that makes sense, but couldn’t you just tell him at his home?” Yuuki’s suggestion was with good intentions but again without all the facts, it was useless. “I mean, he and Jun are already so stressed out. They call my house every time Akira goes missing…”

 “Sorry about that,” Akira half apologized as he added form his own stash to the pot.

 “I mean we should at least tell Jun,” Ann folded her arms. “He would just be beside himself with grief if anything happened to Joker.”

 “No.” Goro sated firmly. “No one from the station, not Joker’s parents, not anyone outside of this room can know what I plan to do. Why is that so hard to understand?”

 “’Cause your reason for why is stupid!!” Ryuji banged his hands on the table.

 “Well I’m going to tell,” Etsuko spoke up. “You have to be crazy if you think I’m not going to tell my parents Joker’s a target.”

 Goro frowned, and pinched the bridge of nose growing frustrated, “Listen to me! If any of you mentions that I’ve been here, that I am going after Sawada, if you mention _anything_ that makes it back to the police station all you are doing is increasing the suspects chances of knowing my intentions and increasing my chances of being taken off this case-”

 “Well if you get taken off, then Tatsuya can finish your work!” the blond boy retorted.

 “If he was going to finish it, then I wouldn’t have been sent here in the first place!” Now Goro was shouting back at him.

 “You’re not better at this than a seasoned detective! You’re going to get Joker killed!” He pointed across the table at Goro.

 “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were an expert on how to solve crimes! Go ahead! Run outside and tell everyone; get us all caught why don’t you?”

 “Damn! What is wrong with you!” Ryuji stood up and leaned forward, “I didn’t say tell everyone! Just his parents! How the fuck would your parents feel if hey found out everyone was keeping from them that you were danger!? Did you ever consider that!?”

 “No!” Goro stood up leaning into Ryuji’s face. “Never!”

 “Well there’s your damn problem!” He shoved the detective back, “You’re a fucking selfish prick! You only want to solve this case for you! You don’t give a damn about anyone else’s feelings! I feel sorry for your parents having to worry about you, shithead!”

 At the shove Goro’s hand lashed out and grabbed Ryuji’s wrist and squeezed it. As he did so he stared Ryuji down, wide-eyed and angry, “My mother is dead.” He threw the blond’s hand back at him, “No one worries about me.”

 Ryuji opened his mouth like he was going to make a response. But nothing came out. Goro watched the spark of anger die out in his eyes as he mulled over Goro’s last words. Perhaps he was thinking of calling bullshit at first, but even he had the foresight to consider that that was probably in poor taste. He and Goro remained standing, everyone else looking up at them from their seats.

 Finally Shiho cleared her throat, “So- you guys… Want to play tomorrow? We can, uh, talk more about how we can help Ace keep his work from getting out then? Yes?”

 “That sounds great!” Ann stood up putting her cards face up on the table. As she got up Goro sat down.

 “I- you-“ Ryuji stuttered over his words. “Fine. Tomorrow.” He pushed his chair back so hard it fell over before moving around the table to hang his mask up. Shiho also stood, offering a quiet ‘goodbye’ to Akira and Goro.

 Yuuki was the last to get up from the table with a sigh, taking off his mask and laying his hand down. “Look, Joker… Ace if you, need a cover for where you are, just tell me in advance, so I can have a good lie ready.”

 “No problem,” Akira nodded to him. He leaned back in his chair as the other boy left.

 Etsuko approached the table and took a box from Akira’s pile, “…I’ll consider keep quiet for now. But if things get crazy… I can’t keep that promise.”

 “I appreciate it,” Goro responded to her, but didn’t look her way. He’d been sitting with his arms crossed and glaring across the table at the wall since the fight ended. She hung up her mask and headed out with the others.

 From outside Ann’s voice drifted in, scolding Ryuji to go back and apologize. To which a loud, ‘to hell with this’ could be heard, followed by subsequent bickering as they walked away from the shrine.

 After the sound of their voices faded, Goro sighed. He felt himself slide down in his chair. He glanced over at Akira, who was now rolling back his sleeve to pull out a Joker he’d slipped into it while shuffling the deck. It almost roused a chuckle out of the detective. “I ruined your game.”

 “It’s fine,” Akira turned to face him and took off his own mask. “Do you feel better now?”

 The brunette shook his head, “What do you mean?”

 “You were looking glum earlier. And now you just exploded on Ryuji. Seems like you’ve been holding that in for a bit… Do you want to talk about?”

 Goro shook his head, pressing his lips together. “T-that wasn’t over that. I mean over my mother. I was just… Frustrated. This case has been-,” he paused. He would never admit it was somewhat overwhelming. He was used to the lack of support, the strange twist, difficult suspects and well hidden clues. But he wasn’t used to _this_. “I don’t do well with others my age.” He nodded firmly. “It was bound to happen, the more I kept running into your friends. I don’t really belong here. With them.”

 “So you belong with the adults then? Back in Tokyo?” Akira leaned a bit closer to him and let his arm rest on the table.

 Goro took a deep breath, “No.”

 “Then you belong here.” Akira smiled at him. The way his grey eyes softened, his expression over taken with a warm smile forced Goro to look away.

 “You know, every time I think I’ve finally heard the dumbest thing you could possibly say to me, you prove me wrong.”

 “Hey, I told you, this place is for you to be who you _can’t_ be out there. You don’t snap like that in public, I’m sure… And you don’t talk about your mother, or your feelings… It’s not entirely your fault. This shrine- Alaya Shrine, does that. It kind of makes you open up whether you planned to or not.”

 Goro turned back to Akira as he spoke.

 “My parents used to say people came up here to make a wish for their dreams to come true. So they all came up here to play as kids, wearing their featherman masks. Of course now, it’s closed off to the public, but it’s still a good place for weirdo and outcast. Everyone has come up here and confessed something. Or wanted something to change…” Akira turned his attention to the mask on the wall. “Panther on her fears of being an outsider, on how she’s not great at handling how guys skeeve on her for her looks… Huntress that she can’t defend herself and Panther as well as needs to. Chameleon that really he’s just always going to be the forgotten one. And Skull-”

 “That he’s a compulsory asshole?”

 Akira turned back to him, a slight smug smirk on his face, “That he’ll end up like his deadbeat dad. Abusive and violent.”

 “…Oh.” They were both quiet for the next few minutes. Not saying anything, and Goro barely keeping eye contact with Akira. He knew that it wasn’t the shrines fault he blurted out the truth about his mother. But there was a bit of comfort in thinking that it wasn’t his fault he’d ruined today by exposing the truth.

 “How old were you?” Goro snapped back to attention at the question.

 “Ah, just… over six.”

 Akira nodded, “She’s why you get so mad when I say I’m going to kill myself, right?”

 Goro opened his mouth, but like Ryuji earlier nothing came out the first few tries, “How did you-?”

 “I told you, you took it way too personally. And now you say your mother died. I just took a guess.”

 “Oh.” Goro was quiet again. He didn’t really want to talk about this. Just thinking about talking it was making him very aware of every breath he took. He found himself wondering if they were too long, or too short. If he was still acting natural, or if the rise and fall of his chest was giving away that thinking about her was the last thing he wanted to do. “You know I came here today to talk to you about your Shadows and we’ve gotten far off track.”

 “Right,” Akira sat back up. “But, if you want to talk about her, we can always come up here to do so.”

 “I don’t-” Goro shook his head.

 “…You know Fox didn’t want to talk either.” The raven haired boy responded. “It took me years to get him to admit that his caretaker was a piece of shit. Even though we all knew. Took longer still to get him to open up to my Dad about it. Thought maybe we’d put him behind bars.”

 “…What happened? Why didn’t he arrest him?”

 Akira licked his lips and smiled, “I got arrested instead. Everything kind of, fell apart. Before I could help Fox, my life became a huge mess. And by the time dust settled he’d already been moved away ‘for his protection’ from me. Of all things.” Akira sighed.

 “What was his name? The man taking care of Yusuke? Er- Fox, rather?”

 “Madarame, Ichiryusai.”

 “T-the artist!” Goro pushed himself to sit up. “You knew one of his pupils! You _dated_ one of his pupils!?”

 Akira nodded to the first question but stopped at the second, surprised, “W-who told you I dated Fox?!”

 “Serizawa-san.”

 Akira pressed his palm to his forehead, “Ugh, she cannot not gossip… Worst aunt ever.”

 “…Is it relevant that I know?”

 Akira hesitated and looked away twisting his hair between his fingers, “I guess not. I just, figured… You’re already constantly finding reasons to say no. I thought you might, feel less inclined to try.” He looked back at Goro, “Since, you’ve never dated before.”

 “I- I never said I haven’t-”

 “At dinner you said you don’t have time. And you don’t even consider the girls that ask you out.”

 Goro opened his mouth to inhale and sighed. That was true. He’d already admitted that. “So, you were worried I’d be intimidated by the knowledge that you had a basis for comparison?”

 He shrugged, “You seem the type to want things to be perfect. And things here are already so far from that.”

 The detective scoffed. He wasn’t sure if he was flattered or offended that Akira felt he couldn’t handle competition.

 Not that it mattered. He was not seriously considering anything romantic with Akira. He was here to solve this case. And that meant working with Akira.

 “Anyway,” the black haired teen stood up, “Come on, I have something to show you.” Goro got to his feet curious as to what was going on now. Akira directed him to hang his mask on the wall. “You came to talk about my Shadows, well, I’m going to show you the last place I saw the Lion before Mizu-chan was killed.”


	22. Not Me or You, but Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

Akira lead Goro out of the shrine, gathering up his cat and closing the makeshift door before they departed. It wasn’t too long of walk to their destination, but Goro was sure Akira could hear his eyes rolling in his head as the teenager lead him through the back wooded area of the mountains park, and past more warning signs into a series of caves.

“Do you, by chance, go  _ anywhere _ that you are actually allowed?” Goro followed him anxiously, glancing around at the rocky walls.

“Conformity is overrated,” Akira responded. “Besides, these caves aren’t dangerous. You can just get lost for a bit in them.”

“Oh, that’s reassuring. Glad to know.” He shook his head as he followed Akira into a tunnel that dead ended with a shallow spring.

“This is it,” Akira turned to the detective and set Morgana down to stretch his legs. “Before that night with you, I had an episode here. I blacked out, and the Lion attacked me in a dream… When I woke up it was hours later, but I was alone.”

Goro set down his briefcase and pulled out his phone. He turned on the flashlight function and began inspecting the ground. The cave was decently lit by light filtering in from a hole over the spring, but he still wanted to inspect everything as clearly as possible. Yet…

“There’s not many footprints. Does anyone else come back here?”

“Just me.”

“And why do you come back here?” He stopped at the edge of the spring and glanced at his reflection. Close to the edge it looked shallow, but the further back he glanced he could see the water grew dark. You could probably drown if you weren’t careful. Or perhaps that was Akira’s intention?

“It’s…” Akira glanced around. “Its where I store my treasures.”

“Treasures?” he turned back to the other teen and watched him dig Tatsuya’s lighter out of his pocket.

He flicked it open with a smirk, “Like this… or Pop’s watch. It’s where I keep them when I’m not using them.”

“Why… here?”

“So no one will take them from me.”

“…Like how you took them from their owners?”

Akira closed the lid of the lighter, “I didn’t say that I stole them.”

“But you did, didn’t you?” Goro crossed his arms. Akira just shrugged.

“I was given this watch and lighter. And everyone from the Masked Circle has given me something too.”

“Were you looking at your treasures when you blacked out?”

Akira tapped the end of his foot against the ground and nodded, “Actually yes…”

“Anything else?”

“…I took, I took some medication. One of the pills Sawada gave me.”

“And then you saw the Lion.” Goro closed his eyes and thought out loud. “But you didn’t take anything at Aoba Park. Why did you take something here?”

“That jerk Takagawa… He locked me in the old prison. It was dark.” Goro opened his eyes when he noticed Akira stopped talking. He was still tapping his foot on the ground but now he was fiddling with Jun’s watch.

“…Akira?” Goro approached him trying to get his attention. Akira didn’t raise his head but he did continue talking.

“It was dark, and all the shadows started trying to suffocate me again. They- wrap around my throat, or fill my lungs and my nose and my mouth. And I can’t breathe, at all. Morgana’s good at keeping some away. And usually if I have a light I can find my way out. But Takagawa locked me in. I fell asleep and when I woke up they were everywhere.”

“…The Lion was everywhere?” Goro tilted his head confused.

“No!” Akira looked up at him, slightly frowning, “Just the Shadows, the formless ones. They just- are everywhere. They cover everything. The walls, the buildings, the people they just- show up. And they’re trying to kill me.”

“…” Goro put a hand over his mouth and looked away. He didn’t know what to make of that. They were covering everything? Did that mean right now Akira saw him as a shadow? He did mention them when they first met. That he stood out? So, do people not covered in shadow stand out from this weird phenomenon he’s seeing? How is that linked to his medication if he saw them before he took it?

“You don’t believe me.”

He looked back at Akira now, and his gaze was distant. Goro lowered his hand, looking into the blank, lost expression he’d seen in the flower shop on that rainy day. “No, I just, I’m not sure I understand… But I will. It’s my job as detective to understand.” He put his hands on his hips. “So, the Shadows tried to kill you?”

“Yes. And then the Lion broke into the room.”

“So he was there too…”

“Yes. I managed to get away that time. I went to see Maki-san, since Shadows don’t surround her. I figured I’d be safe, but she wanted to turn me over to Morimoto doctors… So, I came back here. It’s been safe here before. Usually having a treasure keeps the Shadows away. They’re still there, but they don’t bother me. This time it still happened. They came, the Lion came… And it,” Akira touched his face. “It wanted my face. The shadows were ripping up my face…”

“Ripping up your face?” Goro looked baffled, “Your face is fine.”

“I know.”

“…Shimizu-san’s face was taken.”

“… I know.” Akira licked his lips.

“…How else do the Shadows kill you, Akira?”

“Ah,” he looked around as he was thinking. “Usually suffocation… Once I felt like I was on fire. And that they were going to pull me apart.”

“Are those recent? Within, say the past three months?”

“No, those are old… Recently…” Akira tapped his arm, “My arms were cut open and I couldn’t stop the bleeding.”

“Bleed to death.” Goro immediately responded. “What about- what your mouth, You mentioned Shadows try to get into your mouth?”

“I-“ Akira rubbed the back of his neck, “I think I remember having my insides taken out through my mouth… It’s hard to think about all of these. They happen- but I’m not really here, Goro.”

“Right, sorry, I just- wanted to know if your tongue had been cut out.”

“Probably,” Akira shrugged, “I do remember a needle and thread. A Shadow absorbing me into it by stitching us together.”

Goro reached out and put a hand on Akira’s shoulder, “You realize- you just described all the murders.”

“I did?”

“Your blackouts, the way you’re ‘dying’- that’s how everyone died!” He started to shake Akira, “You’re not remembering how you died, you’re witnessing every murder!”

“I- what?” Akira batted his hand away. “No, I’ve never even met half those people! How could I have seen them die?”

“Was the lion there for all of these times the Shadows tried to kill you?”

Akira stopped for a moment and then nodded, “Him and usually another.”

“What are the others like?” Goro walked away from him and grabbed his briefcase. He pulled out a pad and started writing. “Describe them.”

“They- they all wear masks. They’re white and have black eyes. There’s usually some color to them, it makes them stand out from the other ones. The Lion is red, and has a big golden mane…” Akira tapped his neck, “The one with blue on his mask, he has a matching tie? Or something hanging from his neck…”   
  
“An ascot, that’s what he had at the park, it was blue.” Goro interrupted him.

“And there’s the yellow one that’s always with him. It’s a bow, a bright yellow bow.”

“Like a scarf?” Goro looked up, he couldn’t hide that he was somewhat excited, even pleased that Akira could recall such details. But then again, if they had been appearing during his blackouts for months, it stood to reason he’d start to remember something about them.

“Yes, like a scarf. And then there’s one with purple sleeves. I don’t see it often… And I’ve seen one with a kind of dingy green coat... twice.”

Goro finished writing down the descriptions Akira had given him. “Colors, they’re all a color, but yellow I know.”

“You do?” Akira now walked over to him surprised.

“I do! I’ve seen her… Not her face, but I’ve seen the bow. She was with Dr. Sawada at Morimoto.”

“She was at Aoba Park as well. She tried to shoot me.”

“Then we’ll start with her. This Yellow Shadow…” Goro looked down at his notepad. “I don’t know why it’s you, but I’m going to find the answer. I’m going to find out what’s going on.”

Akira nodded, enthusiastic at the news. The fear and doubt that the other boy didn’t believe him was gone. He leaned in close to his face and tried to kiss him on the cheek, only to have the brunette reel back.

“What?” Akira stopped, he had to catch himself form stumbling over the sudden shift in weight.

“Don’t- Don’t do that!” Goro stuck his arm out, ensuring Akira stayed a good foot away from him. “Don’t kiss me.”

“What, why?” Akira slightly huffed, “I was just trying to reward you…”

“I don’t want you to think I’m here for anything more than this case, Akira. We are not dating. I am not dating you. Understand?”

Akira crossed his arms, “You said you’d stick with me.”

“And I am. And I will! I’m not going to leave you to face these monsters alone, but I- but you are still-”

“…You’re still worried I might kill myself.” Goro lowered his arm as he watched Akira turn away from him. “…Do you not like anything about me?”

Goro sighed, “That is not what I said. You are interesting, Akira. But I don’t- I can’t.” He shrugged, even though he knew Akira wasn’t looking at him. “You can like me all you want, but I know that’s not enough to stop you if you decided to end it one day. And I can’t be tied to that.”

“Because of your mother,” Akira turned around. His expression wasn’t distant, but he looked pained. “Do you think because she killed herself she didn’t care about you?” Goro didn’t answer him. He swallowed hard and looked around the cave. “…It doesn’t have anything to do with you.” Akira responded to his silence. “It doesn’t have anything to do with other people. Tatsuya, Jun, my friends… It’s not them. I love them. They’re all fantastic… But they don’t need me.”

“I needed her,” Goro spat out. Maybe a bit sharper than he intended. “I needed her. I was a child. I loved her. And that wasn’t enough.” He locked eyes with Akira and felt his own widening in a vain attempt to not look as stricken as he felt. “So, what then? If I start something with you, and you decided I don’t need you, all you’d be doing is what she did. Saying your love isn’t enough. Maybe it’s- maybe it’s not about  _ us _ to you, but it is to me. And I’m not going to do it again. I didn’t have a choice before.” He crossed his arms and looked down at the ground. “So, can we just- keep this focused on the case? We’re not anything more than a detective and a victim, trying to catch group of sociopaths.”

“…Is there nothing I can do to prove to you that you’re wrong about this- about me?”

“No, there’s nothing.” Goro tightened the fold of his arms.

Akira didn’t say anything to him. Instead Goro heard him moving around the cavern. It wasn’t until he heard the soft clink of something being set down that he looked up. Akira had pulled out a box, more accurately a small chest, from somewhere. Goro watched him silent dig through it before he pulled out a familiar looking stuffed rabbit. The same one from the photo on Maya’s desk. Akira put it in his bag before closing the box and returning it to a gap in the wall.

He then turned back around to face Goro. His expression blank, but his eyes settled on him. He wasn’t looking through him, though Goro found he wished he was. His gaze was heavy, not unlike he was being judged, but his eyes lacked the harsh criticism. Fittingly, he felt like Akira’s grey eyes had a storm was hidden behind them, a torrent just waiting to open up and rain down to soak him from head to toe.

“I can’t stay out past dark tonight. Dad will put me six feet under, so… Tomorrow. We can meet at the Hideout, and talk about the Yellow Shadow.”

“Right, fine by me.” Goro took a step to the side as Akira walked towards him. Morgana followed right on his heels. And Goro followed after that.

 

 

Outside the system of caves the two parted ways. Akira had to retrieve his bike, but Goro stated he’d take the path down from the caves back to the park. He did start walking, at least until he was certain Akira was out of sight before turning around and going back into the tunnels.

It took him a few minutes, but he did eventually find the cave Akira and he had been standing in. He approached the wall and scanned it looking for the gap where the other boy had hidden his chest. Upon discovery he pulled it out , surprised it was heavier than he was expecting. He opened it up, not really sure what he would find. Not really sure why he had to open it.

Though he assured himself it would grant him a better understanding of Akira, and thus the case.

Inside, he felt like what he was looking at was a bunch of junk. Knickknacks and items taken from others, some given maybe, but he had his doubts on that. Goro picked over the items until he came across a familiar one. The rainbow colored compact he’d seen in photos around Dr. Sonomura’s office.

Goro picked it up by its chain in one hand and held the base in the other. Opening it up, there was a picture of Maki when she was a teenager.

Did she give him this or did he take it?

Goro closed the compact before tucking it into his pocket. He closed up the chest and returned it to the wall before leaving the caves. On his way out of the park he pulled out his phone and began searching for Maki’s address resolving he’d head over there tonight.

 

If he wanted a better understanding of Akira, who better to start with than the woman whose job it had been to pick his brain.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cough* If you thought I was gonna wrap up Akira and Akechi dealing with suicide with a nice little bow you are in for a ride.
> 
> Anyway! I shall see you all again, hopefully soon!


	23. Shadows of His Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GASP! Another update? Already? Honestly, you can thank [Rudolphsd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rudolphsd/pseuds/Rudolphsd). Cause without them I have to edit on my own which 1.) I'm terrible at and 2.) takes FOREVER despite how bad I am at it.
> 
>  
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

 

Akira knew that he had to be home before the sun went down, but that didn’t mean he was going to rush. He walked his bike through the streets of Rengedai with Morgana sitting in the bag on the back as usual.

 

What was he going home for anyway? No one needed him there.

 

“Goro…” He shook his head and swerved the front wheel of his bike back and forth, thinking about what he said. “What should I do, Morgana?” He didn’t want to stop trying, but he didn’t want Goro to hate him. If he gave up, he knew the detective would be more at ease, but it would probably eat him up inside. Though that didn’t seem to matter to Goro.

 

Akira walked through an intersection, drawing closer to home past a parked patrol car. As soon as he was past it, it started up and slowly came down the street, keeping pace with him.

 

What did matter to Goro was solving this case. It seems like that’s all that mattered. Perhaps that was the thing that kept him going? The thing that drove him forward each day, his purpose for being was hidden away in solving crimes. But there was no way to for Akira to have that. To take it, to understand it, to keep it…

 

…There was no way for him to keep Goro.

 

He lifted his head and turned to look at the patrol car rolling slowly down the street with him. Morgana had been doing the same since the vehicle started moving. He came to a stop at the next intersection but didn’t continue forward. Instead he glared at the tinted window, waiting to see if the car would go on without him. When it didn’t, he kicked the stand of his bike down and stepped off the sidewalk to bang on the window.

 

The moment it rolled down, his nose wrinkled from the smell of ash, carbon, and nicotine that hit his face before revealing detective Ueda sitting in the driver’s seat.

 

“What’s up, kid?” he half smiled at him and rubbed one hand against his mustache.

 

“I should ask you,” Akira huffed, “Why are you following me?”

 

“It’s getting dark. Just making sure you’re heading home.”

 

“Did Dad put you up to this?” Akira leaned forward and let his forearm rest across the top of the door.

 

“Not specifically…” Ueda shrugged, digging into his shirt pocket for a cigarette. “He just mentioned that if any of us see you out after dark to detain you and return you home. But he didn’t specifically say to follow you, no.”

 

Akira pressed his lips together and hummed form the back of his throat. The action made Ueda pause and then chuckle. “That was pretty good impression of your old man.”

 

“I can walk myself home.” He pulled back from the car.

 

“It’s not about that and you know it, kid.” The officer continued to talk while patting himself down trying to find where he put his lighter. “You found a body yesterday. You even saw the killer, you know you could be a target.”

 

“You don’t say,” he raised his eyebrows amused.

 

“But Tatsuya’s got to stay out looking, so we’re just helping out,” Ueda sighed and leaned back in his seat, giving up on finding a light. “No one wants to find you dead and cut up somewhere. So, just understand it’s out of concern.”

 

“…I guess…” Akira reached into his pocket and pulled out Tatsuya’s lighter. He flicked the lid up and held out the flame. “Aren’t you supposed to not smoke in the cars?”

 

Ueda leaned forward and lit his cigarette before leaning back in his seat, “Don’t tell, alright?”

 

“…On one condition,” Akira put the lighter away, “Tell me what you think of Go- I mean Akechi.”

 

“Tokyo?” the man asked out the side of his mouth, “He’s a kid. I mean he’s smart, but- being a detective is earned, not given. He should go to school, graduate and start at the bottom like everyone else. Work as a beat cop and earn his way into the big leagues.”

 

“But didn’t he earn that by solving things as an amateur?”

 

Ueda shrugged, “Could be luck. I mean just look at this case… Seems to me like he’s falling apart.” He grabbed the end of his cigarette and opened his mouth to let out a wave of smoke that offended Akira’s nostrils just a bit more. “This isn’t the work for kids. He should be goofing off like you and your lot. He’s got no place here.”

 

Akira watched the detective for a moment, feeling his lips press tighter together. “You’re wrong.”

 

“Hmn?”

 

“He belongs here, he’ll show you.”

 

“HA!” Ueda couldn’t help but blurt out a laugh he turned his head to look away, nearly coughing on his own smoke. “Oh man, I told Tatsuya he was just being a crab when he said something was going on between you two…. I guess I owe him an apology.”

 

Akira scoffed and turned around to grab his bike once again, “Goodnight, Ueda-san.” This time he got on and started to pedal, leaving the smoking officer behind in his car.

  
  


It took Akira less than five minutes to get home now that he was riding the bike instead of walking. He of noted Tatsuya’s motorcycle wasn’t about. Good. He didn’t need that right now. He propped his bike up around the side of the house before entering and calling out in the weakest most half-assed way that he could that he was home.

 

Still, Jun heard him, and called out to him from the kitchen.

 

“How was school, Akira?” he asked as the teenager rounded the counter corner and came over to watch Jun finish chopping vegetables.

 

“More of the same old same old… Some kids talked shit about me. Takagawa proved he’s the missing stage of human evolution. Fell asleep during last period…”

 

“Akira.” He looked up at his son, stopping his work with the knife. They locked eyes for a moment as Jun was debating how much of a joke that statement was and how much it was true.

 

“I turned in my assignment.” Akira deflected by looking past Jun at the pot on the stove top. “The teacher said he’d only dock me ten points.” Akira could see Jun’s chest rise as he took a deep breath, considering the news before nodding and resuming his preparation for dinner.

 

“Well at least there’s that.” Akira was already pushing away from the counter, ready to hide in his room when Jun spoke again. “How are you feeling?” His son stopped. “Do you want talk about it? You don’t have to help with dinner-”

 

“I’m fine, Pops.” Akira shrugged. But he could see that Jun didn’t believe him. “I know, I know, I found a dead girl… But I’m okay, honest.”

 

“I just...” Jun set down his knife as he paused. He placed both is hands on the counter, like he was steadying it. Or maybe he’d fall over completely if it wasn’t there. Again, Akira looked over his face and felt his ribs tighten around his lungs so hard he was sure he could never breathe again. There was a lot of fatigue reflected in the expression looking back at him. From problems with him no doubt. Problems he shouldn’t be causing the people that gave him a home.

 

Why did he come home again? Why was he needed here?

 

“I just want you to know I’ll listen to you, Akira. No matter what it is. We used to sit up and talk all the time when you were younger. I’ll still listen.”

 

Akira didn’t say anything. He just felt himself nod.

 

Neither of them moved, before Jun returned to making dinner.

 

“Do you want me to help?”

 

Jun shook his head, “Just rest tonight. You can work on your homework, I’ll call when it’s ready. It’ll just be you and me tonight.”

 

“…Okay.”

 

Akira pushed off the counter and fled the kitchen so fast he nearly stepped on Morgana. He shut himself and his cat in his room before hurling himself face down on his bed. Maybe kids need their parents. But parents don’t always need their kids. What does Goro know anyway? He won’t even admit he’s upset. He won’t even concede Akira is upsetting everyone around him.

 

This is awful. His chest was still trying to crush the air out of lungs.

 

They’re all so much worse off with him around.

 

He wished he was Chihiro right now. He wished he were dead.

  
  
  


Goro walked across Rengedai in the opposite direction of Akira. He’d pulled up his access to the police and public records on his phone and searched for Dr. Sonomura’s residence. She lived in an apartment building in Hiraska. So, with briefcase in hand and the rainbow compact tucked into his jacket, he set off. Behind him he left Mt. Iwato and any doubts in his mind he had about his own feelings.

 

In the end, he resolved, how he felt about things didn’t matter. What mattered were the facts. He could argue all day with Akira about feelings, but in the end, facts backed him up. Just like in the novel. It irritated him Akira guessed the ending from nothing, but his feelings weren’t anything to rely in in the real world.

 

Especially considering that now they knew his feelings might not be entirely of his own will.

 

Which was why he needed Maki. She could provide an in depth take on what Akira was like before Dr. Sawada stepped in. Ann had mentioned the teenager was worse off now than before; perhaps his death wish was being fueled by his medication. If he came off of it, he’d feel better.

 

But was it really that simple?

 

He was still a thief and a bit of cunning trouble-maker prior to the doctor’s involvement if the stories of his friends and others were to be believed.

 

Perhaps Akira was just destined to be this way. To be a fly in the ointment of whomever crosses him. Always changing his face, his tactics, staring down those that question him and picking apart their reason and sanity until he gets at the heart of them and then takes it for his own enjoyment. For his stupid collection.

 

Maybe it’s not the medication. Maybe it’s just that Akira  _ is _ crazy.

 

No, no… That couldn’t be right. He shook his head. He  _ saw _ that man in the park. Attacked him. Even if Ueda-san couldn’t find evidence of their struggle, he was real. The Shadows were real people and they wanted something from Akira and this town and he was going to find out what.

 

By the time Goro arrived at Maki’s apartment complex, the sun had set. Street lamps and the headlights of cars were the only illumination available as he stepped off the sidewalk onto the steps of the building. The walkways and stairs were all outside, the building itself was shaped like a ‘V’ and built on the corner of the city block. He went up the central stairs located at the point of the building up to the fourth floor and then started walking along the outside corridor.

 

Maki’s apartment was near the end, 4008, on the inside of the V away from the street. He knocked a few times and then waited. Absently, he questioned if she was even home for him to talk to. He had no idea what her after work plans were. It had been foolish to just assume she’d be here.

 

However the door did eventually open just a bit, and he caught a glimpse of her brown eyes peering out at him.

 

“Sonomura-san, hello! Sorry to drop by so late and unexpectedly, but I needed to talk to you… May I come in?”

 

“Akechi-kun?” Maki almost sighed as she said his name. She probably found it annoying to have a kid show up on her doorstep in the middle of the night. “It’s pretty late… Perhaps you can come by and see me at my office tomorrow.”

 

“I would prefer not,” he said flatly. Just thinking about how Sawada would be suspicious if he showed up there, even if it wasn’t for him. “Please, it’s very important. And hopefully won’t take long.” He watched as her eyebrows came together as she slowly shook her head.

 

“I’m sorry, I can’t-” Maki started to shut the door and Goro shot his hand out, leaning his entire weight against it.

 

Why was she acting this way now? Before, she had been friendly toward him. “Sonomura-san! I assure you, whatever Suou-san said about me to you, there’s been a misunderstanding-”

 

“What?!” She looked wide-eyed as he spoke, but kept trying to push the door shut. “Tatsuya has- has said nothing to me, please get off my door.”

 

The two kept pushing against the wood, one trying to get in, the other trying to force them out.

 

“This is very important- I promise!” Goro put his shoulder against the door and stuck his free hand into his jacket to pull out Maki’s necklace. He held it up to her and spoke again, “Please, can we just talk about Akira for just a moment?”

 

“M-my--!” Maki stopped pushing and took a step back. Without her weight on the door, Goro’s caused it to fly open. It caught him off-guard and fell forward, stumbling, and catching himself so he only landed on his hands and knees over the threshold. The necklace went flying from his hands, sliding across the apartment’s hardwood floor.

 

Maki ignored him, and followed the colorful lid of the compact with her eyes before moving to retrieve it. She was picking it up as Goro got to his feet.

 

“Where did you get this?” She turned around, angry. Goro sighed, a slight smile on his face. He knew Akira wasn’t honest.

 

“I took it from Akira this afternoon. I wanted to retu-”

 

“Take it back!” She marched over to him and put it in his hands.

 

“Excuse me?” Goro shook his head. “But it’s yours, is it not?”

 

“You return that to Akira and apologize. That’s his! I gave it to him!”

 

“You did?” Goro sighed and shook his head. He tucked it into his jacket, but still he was inside, he wasn’t going to leave now. “Well, regardless, I need to talk to you about Akira and his Shadows.”

 

“No, you don’t,” Maki crossed her arms. “You need to return that, and then let Tatsuya handle things.”

 

“Ah, but I thought you said Tatsuya hadn’t said anything to you about me?”

 

Maki stopped for a moment, parting her lips to huff. “Fine. He did. He told me you think Akira’s Shadows are real, not hallucinations.”

 

“Well, yes, something to that affect… Akira does have ‘hallucinations’, but real people are behind them. That’s why I want to talk to you.” Goro watched as the woman’s arms tightened closer to her chest and her glare increased. If this kept up, she was going to be able to compete with Sae-san. “I take it you’re unhappy with that knowledge?”

 

“I’m unhappy that you’re telling Akira something so dangerous!” She snapped. “I thought that having you around would help him… But this is completely the opposite!”

 

“How is it the opposite?” Goro shook his head. “I want to help Akira. Arresting these pretenders will remove the ‘Shadows’ from Akira’s life.”

 

“Akira’s Shadows have been around long before the Lion. Long before his trial. Telling him you can stop his hallucinations with a simple arrest will only make them worse. You’re going to make him sicker. Just like Sawada.”

 

Goro held his chin in his free hand and studied Maki’s expression. “Then teach me about them. All of them.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

“I’m a detective. It’s my job to understand and uncover the truth. If I don’t have all the facts, then how can I do that? Tell me about Akira’s Shadows. Where they come from, what they do, why he has them… Tell me everything. Please.”

 

Maki’s shoulders dropped as she unfolded her arms. The woman had been worked up all day after being told Goro thought Akira’s hallucinations were faked, and now he was here, having forced his way in, demanding answers. “…Will you return my necklace to Akira?”

 

“Yes. You have my word.”

 

The woman nodded. “Then shut the door and have a seat. I’ll put on some tea.”

 

Goro shut the door and watched as Maki crossed the room over into her kitchen. She started boiling water for tea while the young detective took a seat on her couch. Goro watched her work in the kitchen, her lips pressed together so tight that every crease on her face was amplified.

 

He cleared his throat as he tried to think of how to start this conversation. He reasoned the best approach was with an apology. “I’m very sorry for the way this turned out, Sonomura-san. I promise it wasn’t my intent to cause you any distress.”

 

The woman in the kitchen sighed. She looked up from the stove to Goro, the annoyance in her face slightly decreasing. “I’m sure you didn’t, but I don’t like hear that my former patient is being given such poor advice.”

 

“Then you must be furious about how Sawada-san treats Akira,” he half-joked.

 

Maki closed her eyes, “I already told you how I feel about it personally,” Maki turned away from him to get to cups from her cabinet. “The longer he works at our office, the more and more I’m tempted to call up my friend in Mikage-cho and ask her to put a hex on him.”

 

Goro cleared his throat again, “You…. Also believe in the occult?”

 

The therapist chuckled again, “Not really, but my friend Eriko is very knowledgeable in it.” Maki poured their tea and walked over to offer Goro his cup. “I’ve told her about how vile Jinnosuke is. She offered to try a few things, but I told her I didn’t want Tatsuya thinking we were out to cause him trouble as well.”

 

He took his tea, and held the cup in between his hands. “Suou-san is very alert about the stranger happenings around the city, isn’t he?”

 

“He has to be. Sumaru is a strange place.” Maki raised her cup to her lips and took a sip. “He’s also very alert of the strange people here.” Goro watched as the woman’s eyes glanced at him from the side. Truly, his reputation had tanked with her in such a short amount of time. All this because of his thoughts on Akira’s Shadows? No, she had to also have been in on whatever Tatsuya was concerned with.

 

“You’re implying I’m strange?” He smiled at her. Keeping up a friendly appearance was the best way to keep agitated adults at ease. “I hadn’t considered that, but perhaps I am?”

 

“I know you are, otherwise Akira wouldn’t have been so keen on you from the start. He’s never latched onto anything ‘normal’.” She smiled softly, “But he’s still sweet. I understand that you weren’t trying to cause a problem, but things are already hard enough as it is. We came so far and now I’m forced to watch Akira steadily fall apart. I mean, he ran from the other day!”

 

She looked up from her cup, pained. “I never expected things to turn out like this.”

 

Goro tapped his fingers around the side of his cup. He still hadn’t taken a sip, “Sonomura-san, I know I upset you, but I think we can still turn things around for Akira. I came here to understand how he thinks. I know it will sound strange, but I’m convinced the Lion and the murders are connected. And they are in some way connected to how Akira is- is seeing his own death in these hallucinations. He’s spoken to you the most about his Shadows. If you feel that you have insight that will help me figure it out, please,” Goro reached out his palm up, “I need you to share with me.”

 

Maki looked down at his hand and closed her eyes for a second. She wordlessly nodded before setting her cup down on the end table to the side of her couch before getting up and leaving the room.

 

He heard her rummaging about in another room before she returned with a filing box with ‘Suou’ written on the side.

 

“It’s probably best if we start from the beginning,” Maki took the lid off the box and looked over at Goro, “What do you know about Akira’s parents?”

 

“His parents?” Goro’s eyes looked away from her to the side for a moment out of confusion, “Well Tatsuya works for the police force, obviously. And Jun used to work as a high school teacher before Akira’s arrest…” Goro watched as Maki shook her head.

 

“No.”

 

“No?”

 

“You’re talking about Akira’s family. I’m talking about Akira’s birth parents.”

 

“Ah,” Goro smirked at her, “But you intentionally mislead me there…”

 

“So I did,” the woman shrugged. She looked down at the box and began thumbing through tabs on manila folders. The detective leaned forward a bit to get a glance at some of the titles, noting that one of them said ‘Jun’ on it. “Here,” Maki pulled out a folder.

 

She opened it up and pulled out two pieces of paper. She set the pieces of paper down on the couch next to him and Goro’s expression must have twisted more than he realized at the sight, because Maki’s next words were asking if he was surprised.

 

And he honestly was.

 

The two papers she set down each had a crude series black ink of scribbles on them. He could see up in the corner Maki had put a little sticker on each corner that read ‘Suou, Akira; Age 13’. One of them was at least vaguely a person: a lean figure taking up most of the paper, slumping over with long hands and outstretched fingers. He only understood it was a person because of blank face, the only white part on the body. A smooth blank face with two black dots for eyes.

 

The second one was a mess. It looked like there was a rectangular shape in the middle, but dozens of scribbled black lines came out of it and stretched and covered the entire page leaving very little white, making it hard to determine that there was even a point of origin to being with.

 

Goro set down his cup and picked up the pieces of paper, “What are these?”

 

Maki leaned forward resting her arms on the box, “The one with the face is his mother. The nearly black page is his father.”

 

Goro squinted at the black page. There was no person on it, that was certain. “Why?” He looked up at her.

 

The woman tilted her head to the right and brought up her knuckles to rest against the side of her face. “Akira’s birth parents didn’t really take care of him. He told me his mother took care of him- sometimes. But they lived on the outskirts of a little town, I suppose so no one would bother them. And Akira lived in the attic.” Maki absently flipped through the folder she’d taken the two pictures out of. “He said there was a window and a door. But the window was small, and high up. It was the only light in the room and the door was always locked. And if he saw his mother, if she brought him downstairs he said even the house was dark. Windows closed, doors shut… And her face was smooth.”

 

“Blank, like the picture?” He held up the one of the lanky figure.

 

“Yes. Akira describes some of his Shadows as having similar features- those are non-threatening individuals. Anyone benign that he doesn’t have a personal connection to during his hallucinations develops this mask. They are still a Shadow, but they can’t hurt him.”

 

“So Shadows with Mask are ‘non-threatening’?” Goro put the paper down. “The people  _ threatening _ Akira wear masks. I saw them.”

 

“They’re colored, right?” 

 

“Ah, yes… They are.” He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised that she knew that. He knew Maki and Akira still spoke about what he was going through. Nevertheless, it caught him off guard.

 

She nodded, “Then, in that case you may be right. Those Shadows are real. But these,” she tapped the paper, “These aren’t.”

 

“How can you tell the difference?” He set the paper down.

 

“Akira made those when he was a child. He’s described them to me well before he was arrested.”

 

Goro held up the nearly black paper, “So then this is a hostile Shadow? This is… Akira’s father?”

 

“There’s more,” Maki pulled out a few other pictures. All of them were similar in that whatever was in the middle extended out to cover the page. A black ball, a spiral, the shadow of a man. And then all the lines coming off until nearly every part of the page was covered.

 

“He doesn’t have a face, or even a shape.” Goro noted.

 

“Akira told me he tried to kill him, suffocate him on more than one occasion. Usually at night, when the attic was dark.” Maki looked down at the box, tapping her fingers on the side. “I don’t think Akira could tell anyone what he looks like if he tried. His mind hasn’t allowed him to keep the image. He just associates him with the dark.”

 

“And the inability to breathe…” Goro pushed the papers away, muttering, “Akira said during his blackout outs he feels like the Shadows are trying to suffocate him. But none of the victims died via suffocation…”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“I’m sorry, just, thinking about my notes out loud.” He cleared his throat and picked up his cup of tea, finally taking a sip. “So, what happened to them?”

 

Maki leaned back and sighed, “Honestly, I don’t completely know. Tatsuya looked into it after Jun started seeing Akira on a regular biases, but- his father disappeared. Or rather, he fled.” She hesitated for a moment, “Akira was found in the house alone, it was sold back to the bank and when they came to inspect they found him up in the attic. He had to have been five. Only his father came to the bank to finalize the deal, and his mother wasn’t found until months after Akira had been taken and treated and put into foster care.”

 

“And where was she?”

 

“Well part of her was in the backyard.” Goro didn’t say anything after her response. He just stared ahead, and took another sip from his cup. “So,” the woman got to her feet and began collecting the pictures, “This is why I say it's dangerous for you to tell Akira his hallucinations can just be handcuffed and taken away. Even if you catch the killers, these two- These two are always going to follow him.”

 

Goro watched her put the papers away and then he spoke up again, “But not always,” he pointed at her. “You said before Akira started acting up in middle school. He was found as a toddler… He must have had  _ some _ time in his life when he wasn’t like this.”

 

“It's easier for people to handle that a small child has nightmares. They figure he’ll grow out of them. In foster care, who knows how many nights Akira was plagued by Shadows? When Jun adopted him, he mentioned that Akira wouldn’t sleep without all his lights on, and he always wanted the doors open. But Jun curbed some of that by talking to him, engaging with him. Jun loves kids, and he devoted a lot of time to getting Akira to open up. He even gave him brain teaser toys- that actually lead to a problem. One of them was designed to show you how locks work. As soon Akira found out it was possible to open a lock without a key, he took to trying to open every door in the house. Any lock he could find… It became a problem.”

 

“That’s an understatement.”

 

“But for the most part, Akira was stable. He was growing and accepting his family… It was around his first year of middle school that things got worse. Sometimes it’s just the shift in our brains. As our bodies change and new chemicals are forming, old traumas can come back or events in our life can re-trigger them. But for one reason or another, Akira’s parents came back to the forefront of his mind and he started pushing the world away. That was when I started treating him.”

 

“Hmn.” Goro took another sip from his cup. Akira’s Shadows stem from a terrible childhood. He’s always seen Shadows as suffocating, but that didn’t explain why the Lion was out to kill him or anyone. “And what do you think about his new Shadows, Sonomura-san?”

 

Maki put the lid on the box, chewing her bottom lip. “I used to think the Lion was Akira’s mind interpreting the man from the night of his arrest... But lately, I’m- I just want all of this to end.”

 

“That makes two of us,” Goro set his cup down, he’d only drank half of it, but he thanked Maki for it nonetheless.

 

He picked up his briefcase and was ready to depart when he glanced back at the box one last time. “Might I inquire something else, Sonomura-san?”

 

“Yes, what is it?”

 

“Isn’t it illegal for you to keep patient info outside of the office?”

 

“Isn’t it illegal for you to ask me about my patients without a warrant?” She shrugged, “When it was decided that Akira was going to be taken from me, I made copies of everything. As a precaution.”

 

“But that doesn’t explain the info in that box is marked for Jun-san.”

 

She tilted her head with a smirk, “You know, you’re rather observant.”

 

“I am a detective… Care to explain?”

 

“No.” Maki shook her head with a smile and opened the front door, “Have a good night, Akechi-kun. And remember to return that necklace. Akira needs it more than you do.”

 

“Of course. Thank you for your time,” Goro stepped outside and waited until she closed the door to turn away. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the compact, rubbing his thumb over the top. “Lousy parents, huh?”

 

He turned and walked away from the apartment door. The thought that Akira’s Shadows were specters of his parents was unsettlingly ironic. They might not have followed him around in the form of threatening hallucinations, but he was where he was today because of the ghost of his family. Maybe Akira was onto something when he said Goro belonged here.

 

Ah, but that was giving him too much credit. And admitting that maybe he wanted to be here with Akira.

 

 

 

Dinner was quiet. As of late, most meals were quiet. It wasn’t because Akira didn’t want to talk (god knows he had plenty on his mind), but when tasked with speaking to Jun or Tatsuya about it, it all damned up in his mind and stayed there.

 

Jun didn’t even make him help with the dishes, insisting instead that Akira should focus on his homework tonight. Which was fine, he supposed, it allowed him to shut himself up in his room and think. School work could wait, but he did fish out Maya’s rabbit charm form his bag. He held it tightly in one hand and rubbed his thumb over its body, reminding himself of his aunt’s constant chant to ‘think positive’. Instead of his school work, he wanted to dig through all the information on his laptop Yuuki had sent him on Goro.

 

His friend had gathered a ton of information on the detective. If nothing else, Yuuki was resourceful when it came to finding information online. He had sent Akira every scrap of public information about Goro available. Even all the way back to his first ‘case’. The first time Akechi Goro was in the public eye he was barely fifteen, and published in a Tokyo news article about bringing to light abuse, negligence, and misuse of government subsidies from the foster home he was staying at. It was just a few passing lines here and there. The next time Goro’s name popped up was again in relation to a foster home, though not his own, a year later.

 

The information really didn’t start to pick up until he was seventeen, when he assisted police in solving a murder at a local high school. From there it snowballed. There were tons of articles, interviews, cases, and news of Goro being given a role in Tokyo’s SIU.

 

There was lots of information about Akechi, Goro, Tokyo’s Detective Prince. His hobbies, his likes, his favorite colors, his least favorite kind of weather- hell, Yuuki had even dug up a food blog highlighting his favorite places to eat.

 

“But there’s nothing about his family, just that he was in foster care?” Akira put his elbows on his desk and let his chin rest between his hands. “His mother killed herself… But what about his father? Is he nowhere?” The teen absently thought about his own mother and father and shuddered. Maybe a father that was nowhere was for the best.

 

He wondered what would his life be like if Jun and Tatsuya had adopted Goro instead of him. In a way, he felt he fit the two of them better. Smart, calculating, an interest in law… Tatsuya would probably be extremely proud to say his son worked with him, rather than having to ask other cops to make sure he went home.

 

“Ugh,” Akira closed his laptop and set his forehead down on the lid. The rabbit was put to rest next to him. “What am I doing here?”

 

He heard Morgana jump up onto the desk and circle around his head before lying down next to the laptop. He supposed if nothing else, he had to survive this world until Morgana passed away. Akira absently reached up and fumbled around, looking for the cat’s head without looking. It took a few pokes and some whining from his target, but he finally found that sweet spot between his ears and started to scratch.

 

He wasn’t sure how long he stayed, face-down in his laptop until a knock came at his door.

 

“I’m not here.”

 

The door opened anyway.

 

“Akira?” He lifted his head and turned around to see Jun standing in his doorway. “I was calling you earlier, you didn’t respond. So, I just wanted to make sure things were fine.”

 

“Yeah, I’m fine…” Akira wasn’t even aware he’d been called.

 

Jun stood in the doorway a few minutes looking his desk over. Akira didn’t miss that his eyes fell on the rabbit and lingered for a bit too long, “Are you done with your homework? You shouldn’t sleep at your desk, it’ll ruin your posture.”

 

“But it’s comfy.” Akira pat the top of the computer. “It’s like having a heated pillow.” Jun scoffed and closed his eyes. Akira smirked at his reaction, but it didn’t last long. He slid his palm back and forth over the computer before speaking again. “Pops, can I ask you a question?”

 

“It must be an important one if you felt the need to have Mr. Bun keep you company… Ask away.”

 

Akira turned away from his desk to face Jun. Honestly, he wasn’t completely sure what to say. He had a lot to think about today, and none of it was great. “Do you- Do you think parents always need their kids?”

 

He watched Jun’s face change as he mulled over the question. His one visible eye stared at Akira in confusion, before looking down. Not to look at the floor, but as if he could look back internally and look at himself. Jun’s lips pressed together as he started rubbing his hands together, running his palms over his knuckles again and again.

 

“That’s an, odd question… I- I think sometimes people who don’t realize they want kids have them. But, children always need their family. It’s not really up to the parents if they want them or not once they have them. It’s something that should be thought about beforehand.”

 

“Hmn,” Akira rubbed the back of his neck before speaking again, “Do you think you  _ need  _ me?”

 

“What?” Jun’s hands fell by the wayside. This time he was clearly shocked.

 

“Do you think you need me here, Pops? Or do you think this was a mistake?”

 

Jun shook his head and silently crossed the room to approach his son. He got down on one knee and put his hand over Akira’s as he looked him in the eyes.

 

“I need you. I’ve known it from the day I met you, Akira. I can’t imagine a world where you’re not here with me.” He squeezed his hand at the end of his sentence.

 

The teenager lowered his eyes, breaking their shared gaze, “So would you be mad if I left you?”

 

“I don’t know what I’d feel,” Jun answered truthfully. Akira could feel his father’s hand shaking over his. “I suppose I’d- I’d be more upset at myself for not- not showing you that your life is worth so much more than you can imagine.”

 

“You were upset when grandpa died,” he countered. “You  _ were _ mad at him.”

 

Jun didn’t speak right away, but Akira felt his hand tighten over his. He then felt Jun’s other hand tilt his chin up so they were facing each other again. “You’re right. I was. I was angry with him, with my mother, with everyone…But kids, kids need their parents. Just like you need me right now, I needed someone back then. It wasn’t until I was much older that I could, at least, come to terms with what happened, and know that it wasn’t my fault. It took me a long time to understand, and maybe I am still a bit upset. However, I am not upset with you, Akira.”

 

Akira watched Jun’s face, looking it over. Despite the fact that his eyes looked like they were glossing over with water, he was smiling. He was smiling probably brighter than he had in ages. If it had been anyone else, Akira probably would have argued that it was forced. But not Jun. Ever emotion he had was honest.

 

“I’m sorry, Pops. I didn’t mean to- I just had some questions.”

 

Jun leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Akira’s, “Don’t apologize. I asked you to talk to me, didn’t I?”

 

The teen freed his hand from Jun’s to wrap his arm around his shoulders and hug him. It was relieving, to say the least. Though it nagged at the back of his mind that Jun had said the same thing as Goro. Kids need their parents. He never needed his previous family. But he did need Jun. He needed Tatsuya too…

 

The two stopped hugging when there was a knock at Akira’s door. Tatsuya was standing in the doorway, just watching them. “Are you two okay? It’s been ten minutes.”

 

“Tatsuya!” Jun pulled back but kept his hands on Akira’s shoulders. “When did you get home?” He pressed his lips together and muttered, “…Have I really been kneeling here ten minutes…?”

 

“We’re fine, Dad,” Akira chimed in. “Pops was just answering some questions for me.”

 

Tatsuya nodded. He turned away like he was going to leave them alone, but stopped and glanced back at Akira. “By the way, did you see Akechi today?”

 

Akira blinked reached up to twist his hair around his finger, “I think so… He’s a brunette, right? Kind of reddish brown eyes? Carries around a briefcase? I think I saw him today.”

 

“Akira,” Tatsuya sighed and shook his head. “Could you possibly stay away from him?”

 

“I don’t know? Could you stay away from Pops at my age?”

 

Jun let out a horrible snort. Both Tatsuya and Akira turned to watch him cover his mouth as he started ‘coughing’ while his shoulders shook. He got to his feet and approached his husband, keeping one hand over his mouth.

 

“Why don’t- Why don’t we let Akira get back to his homework? Come on- dinner is still hot.” Jun pushed Tatsuya out of the doorway, still trying not to laugh. But he did look back at Akira, shaking his head.

 

As soon as his parents were gone, he got up from his chair to close the door and sighed. He was pretty glad he came home tonight.


	24. The Pain of Being Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapters both kill and invigorate me... Anyway who's ready for some case solving! This is a detective mystery after all.
> 
> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

 

Goro woke up the next morning to a steady rainfall. The skies were overcast and grey, and the water was falling from the sky at a slight slant due to the wind. It actually reminded him of the day he arrived at Sumaru City.

“What a dreary Tuesday…” He stared out of his hotel window going over what he needed to do today. Akira and his friends were going to meet at the Hideout to go over his plans. If that was the case, he was going to need some supplies.

And an umbrella.

Goro left Pleiades by taxi and made his way to Smile Hiraska, the big indoor mall Akira had taken him too before. A quick search on his phone showed that a Junes was located on the upper two floors. He had asked the receptionist at the hotel where the best place was to buy a map of the city. She had suggested a store called Satomi Tadashi, but being unfamiliar with where that was, he opted to bypass the local chain and head to something more familiar.

Plus, he knew he would find everything he wanted at the Junes: an umbrella, a large map of the city, some markers, tacks, some colored string and some darts.

By the time he left the mall, the rain was coming down harder. At least now he had an umbrella to protect him while he waited for his next ride back to Mt. Iwato.

It was an hour before lunch time when he was dropped off at the park at the base of the mountain. The rain beat down on his umbrella as he made his way through the park and up to the old shrine. Much to his surprise, it was dry inside when he pulled back the plywood door. The makeshift patches in the roof Akira and his friends had made were water tight. But that was good for him, it meant he didn’t have to worry about his things getting wet.

Goro went to work, hanging up the map on opposite wall of where the teens had hung up their masks. He used the markers and tacks to circle a few locations and write down some information on the victims and their murders. Designating where they were last seen, where their bodies were found, and when they last could have had an interaction with Sawada. From there, he sat down at the table and started wrapping the string around the body of the darts: blue, purple, yellow, green, and red.

Once he was done setting up, he looked at his phone. It was just past lunch time now. Perhaps he should have gotten something to eat in addition. Well, it didn’t matter. He’d survived on air and determination before, he’d do it again.

Goro stood and took Maki’s necklace out of his pocket, making sure it was still with him before leaving to return it to Akira’s treasure box hidden in the caves.

It didn’t look like the rain was going to let up today, which was not really ideal for traversing about the city looking for clues. But the weather couldn’t be helped. At least in the caves he didn’t need the umbrella. This time he remembered the way to Akira’s little hiding spot and retrieved the chest. However, as he opened it he was greeted with surprise.

_ ‘It’s not nice to steal, detective.’ _

Goro’s gapped at the note sitting on the top of the boxes items. He slowly picked it up and took a deep breath.

“So, are you going to take something else from me?” Goro’s head whipped around to see Akira standing behind him at the entrance to the cave.

“A-Akira!” Goro rose to his feet and cleared his throat. “You, um, you should be at school, shouldn’t you?”

“I’m skipping,” he shrugged. “I wanted to come here and return Mr. Bun,” he held up the stuffed rabbit charm and walked forward. “And when I got here, I realized I was missing Maki’s necklace.”

“But, how did you know it was me?” Goro watched him pick up the note and return the rabbit.

“Who else would it be?” Akira held out his hand expectantly. Goro placed Maki’s compact on his palm and the teen hummed. “You know, her mother gave her this. This and a bunch of other colored ones.”

“And, she gave that to you…”

“Yes. Maki-san she and her mother struggled to get along the older she got. But in the end, she said they were able to resolve their differences. Maki-san told me it was possible to trust her, even if we didn’t see eye to eye. That’s what this necklace means…” Akira put it back in the box and closed the lid.

“I’m sorry, Akira, I- it wasn’t my intention to invade. I just needed answers.”

“Answers?” Akira looked up at Goro, keeping a hand on the lid. “Answers for what? What does this have to do with the case?”

“I- I was just trying to understand you. You can see that, can’t you… that I need to know more about you, to know why they're after you.”

Akira picked up his box with a slight sigh. He held it in his arms and nodded. “I do understand. I- I’m also trying to understand you, I guess.”

“You guess?” Goro half chortled his response.

“You’re not exactly forthcoming with stuff, you know?” The raven-haired teen turned and put his box back in its hiding spot. “Like about your mother, or your feelings… Or Leviathan.”

“Leviathan?” Goro’s brows pressed together. “What in the world is ‘Leviathan’?”

Akira turned back to looked at Goro, “You don’t know?”

“If I did I wouldn’t be asking you… What is it?” The detective paused, “Is this some dumb thing you found about me on a fansite? Look I don’t- I do not linger around those webpages. I know a lot of girls have come up with odd lingo and ideas about me but- Leviathan?”

Goro tapped his chin, trying to think of what Akira could be talking about. He watched the black-haired boy study his face. They were both clearly looking for an answer, but Goro had a feeling it wasn’t the same one. Finally, Akira shrugged.

“Guess it’s nothing.” He smiled at him, but Goro felt like there was more to the story of that term. “Anyway, what’s the plan for today?”

“I need to map out what’s going on, and where and when to make sure we don’t needlessly retrace our steps. Also we’ll try to put together a profile of the Yellow Shadow, see if we can find out who she is.”

“Great! I’ll text the others to-”

“-Come  _ after _ school. You’re already skipping. If they cut class again it will raise suspicion. Besides, Yoshizaka-san is already suspicious of Sakamoto skipping yesterday.”

“You met Yoshizaka-sensei?” Akira smirked. “She’s pretty cool… I never had her, but when things are slow, she comes over and has a drink or two with my parents.”

“Yes, she mentioned that they were friends…” Goro turned on his heels and started out of the cave, “Come on then, we have a lot of work to do.”

 

 

Akira and Goro spent the afternoon adding to the map. Goro marked off every location Akira remembered blacking out and seeing the Shadows. Not surprisingly, most of them happened at the park. He did have a few blackouts at home, but Goro noted that those weren’t accompanied by visits from the Lion. Akira did have a blackout once at school where he was visited, so Goro marked off that he had access to him at the school, and of course at Sawada’s office.

Goro was still filling in spots on the map when Akira’s friends arrived.

“Holy shit!” Ryuji was the first one through the door. The moment his eyes fell on the map his voice exploded. “What is this conspiracy bullshit on the walls?”

“Oh my god, Ryuji, do you have to scream about everything?” Ann came in behind him, but she too stopped to look at the map. “That is a lot of marker and tacks.”

“What are you guys doing?” Yuuki and Shiho entered the Hideout looking a bit confused.

“Have a seat,” Goro motioned to the table. “Akira and I are plotting out the movements of his Shadows. Where they have access to him, where he’s seen them, where he’s blacked out from medication… I’m trying to figure out where to hunt for clues.”

“We’re also trying to make a profile for the Yellow one, but so far, no luck on finding a connection between her and my meds.”

“Other than that she hangs around with Dr. Sawada.” Goro walked around the table as the others took their seats and picked up the darts he wrapped with colored string earlier. “And Sawada’s base of operation is right here, at Hiiragi Therapy.” He held up a dart wrapped in blue string and threw it at the map, landing right on top of the therapy office. Sailing right past Ryuji’s head.

“Ah! AHHH!” The blond flailed for a minute before falling back in his seat. “H-hey! Warn someone when you do that!”

“Whoa! Cool!” Shiho clapped her hands other. “You hit it dead on! Bull’s eye!”

“Thank you,” Goro nodded to her, watching while Ryuji got up to pick his seat back up. “And Sawada is also experimenting on patients at Morimoto Hospital.” Goro let another dart fly from his hands, causing Ryuji to jump once more. The blonde glared at him from across the table. “That one wasn’t even close to you…”

He picked out a red dart next, “The Lion, presuming it’s Sudou, is located here at Pleiades.” Goro threw the dart and it connected to the hotel. “But getting into the penthouse might be impossible. There must be another way to get to him.”

“What about the old Sudou estate?” Yuuki spoke up. “According to the Dark Side of Sumaru City, people go in and out of it from time to time.”

“According to what?” Goro raised his eyebrows.

“Its some conspiracy forum he hangs out on,” Ann chimed in.

“Hey, it’s been useful before!”

“Hmn,” Goro tapped a dart to his bottom lip. “It could be worth a look, where is that on the map…”

“It should be in Narumi,” Akira got up and leaned forward over the table. “Right there, the house next to Ryuji’s left ear.”

“This one?” Goro threw a dart and Ryuji started shouting at the both of them. The blonde picked up his chair and moved from in front of the map.

“Yup, that’s it.”

“Why do you know where it is?” Goro turned to him, as he picked up a purple dart.

“I have to go past it on the way to my grandmother’s,” He twisted his hair between his fingers.

Goro tossed the dart at the TV station. Ann immediately asked why there. “A guess: a purple eyed cat and purple Shadow.” He then picked up the yellow dart. “Which leads us to Sawada’s friend…”

“The Shadow with the yellow bow,” Akira leaned on the table staring at the map.

“A yellow bow?” Ann looked at them confused.

“It’s a woman. Long black hair in a bun and a yellow scarf that she ties into a bow over her shoulder.”

“A Bow- scarf!” Ann covered her mouth. The boys stared at her.

“Do you know something?”

“That sounds like Miss Miho, the manager of Club Zodiac!” Ann got up and walked over to the map putting her finger on the club. “I’ve seen her before going in and out of the VIP elevator to the top floor!”

“What’s on the top floor? Actually, what is Club Zodiac?”

“It’s a dance club, everyone from the local high schools hangs out there,” Shiho answered. “It’s located inside a little strip mall area, but above there’s a second club. An exclusive one. It’s what makes the real money.”

“And exclusive VIP Club above the teenager one…” Goro picked up a yellow dart and threw it at the club, landing it just at the end of Ann’s finger. The girl pulled her hand away, startled, and gasped. She glared at Goro, but Ryuji laughed.

Goro picked up a green dart and twisted it around in his hand. He still had no lead for the last Shadow, but he could probably get answers from investigating the others.

“Well, at least I’ve got two places to start looking. Club Zodiac and the old Sudou estate.” He turned to Yuuki, “That website you mentioned… Is there anything else of interest on it?”

“It's, sort of a general forum for talking about weird things around the city. There’s lots of threads on the murders, but I-I could start a new one to gather information.”

“Start one on Club Zodiac’s VIP room. Anything that can help me get up there.”

“I have a question.” Ruyji leaned back in his seat. “If we’re not telling Akira’s dad about all this, what’s the point of tracking these guys down? Are you going to arrest them on your own? You going to corner them into some sort of beat down? Gun fight? What?”

Goro pressed his lips together, “I do plan to tell Tatsuya what’s going on, but not until I have evidence. There’s not going to be any beat down or gun fight. I don’t even carry a gun-”

“WHAT!?” Ryuji threw his hands up, “Aren’t you a cop!?”

“I’m still a student,” Goro stuck the green dart in the table. “Any time I need a weapon I’m assigned one from the department and return it once the case is over…. Right now, I’m not even in my jurisdiction. I would have to ask the Konan Department for a gun, and it’s just not needed. Not for this.”

He crossed his arms, “What I need now is evidence, proof that Akira’s Shadows are real world people. Proof that can be used to formulate an actual sting to bring one or more of them in. The idea isn’t to have a confrontation now, that would be too dangerous.”

Ryuji put his lips together and sputtered in annoyance.

“Oh, so right now is like the surveillance and information gathering! It’s kind of just like a spy operation!” Ann put one hand on her hip and pointed up with her other.

“Well, Ryuji never was good at info-gathering, but you can count on us. We’ll find out about Miho and Club Zodiac,” Shiho nodded. “Ann likes to go to dance all the time… I’m sure we can ask some of the kids from school about it without drawing too much attention.”

“Great. In the meantime, I’m going to investigate that estate. We can meet back here tomorrow-” He turned his head to Akira, “ _ After _ school to put more together.”

Akira’s friends agreed and gathered up their things. Though the meeting had been brief, Goro actually felt good about it. He hadn’t originally planned for Akira’s friends to be helpful, but he supposed a few good surprises didn’t hurt. He packed up his suitcase and grabbed his umbrella before bidding Akira good bye.

“I’ll let you know what I find at the Sudou estate. Hopefully it will be good news.”

“Hmn, that’s not needed,” Akira said as he pulled the door to the shrine shut.

“You don’t want to know what’s there?”

“Oh I do!” Akira came down the steps and joined Goro under his umbrella. “But I’m going with you to see for myself.”

“No.” Goro said flatly. “Absolutely not.”

“If I don’t go with you, I’m going to go on my own. So, which is it?”

Goro opened his mouth to take a deep breath. How dare Akira threaten him by threatening his own safety? Obnoxious brat.

“Fine, but you will everything I say, or we will leave immediately. Understood?”

“Understood.”   
  
  
  


Goro and Akira made their way to Narumi on foot. There had been a small debate about riding Akira’s bike, but the detective refused to get soaked in the rain. So the bike stayed between them and they walked to their destination.

He already knew from how ritzy his hotel was that Narumi was a more affluent area in Sumaru City, but he’d never been down to the residential district. The homes here were large, each sectioned doff from one another by fancy gates and walls. The homes ranged in style, from modern, sleek Western designs to more traditional homes.

The Sudou estate was the later.

Akira and Goro stopped across the street and one house down from their destination. A brick wall surrounded the home. Goro could see it was two stories high. From the length of it, he guessed there had to be at least fifteen or more rooms. The gate was closed. There were no lights on.

“It wouldn’t be prudent to enter through the front gate…”

“We could try the back,” Akira pointed to the end of the wall closest to them. There was a gap between the wall and the hedges of the house next to it just big enough to walk through. Goro nodded and they made their way across the street. Goro grumbled a bit, realizing he’d have to close his umbrella to fit through. Luckily, with the wind blowing the rain, it wasn’t falling directly down into the gap. Hopefully they wouldn’t get too wet. Akira followed behind him, pulling his bike into the space and then forcing it to lean into the hedges. He kept his bag slung over his shoulder and shut it so Morgana wouldn’t get wet.

The boys followed the narrow path until they reached the back corner of the wall. They used the neighbor’s hedge to give themselves a bit of a boost until they could get their hands on the top of the brick wall and looked over it.

“Still no movement…” Goro squinted, lamenting the rain falling on his face. “I can see a back door. Come on.” He pulled himself up and over the wall with ease after dropping his briefcase over the side. Akira huffed, muttering that not everyone climbed walls for fun.

He put his bag on the ledge and asked Goro to catch it for him before dropping it over. As soon as it landed in his arms, he heard the cat inside let out a fuss. Once Akira was over, they made their way to the back door.

Naturally, it was locked.

Akira asked Goro to open his umbrella for him before he knelt down in front of the door and opened his bag. Morgana stuck his head out, grumbling with his ears slanted back.

“I know, I know I’m sorry…” Akira tried to soothe him as he pulled out a case of lockpicks and a pair of red gloves. “I’ll get you some sushi later, okay?”

“More lockpicks?” Goro frowned. He had his umbrella tilted so the rain wouldn’t fall on Akira or the door.

“How else do you plan to get in?” Akira turned his back to him and began inspecting the lock.

“You just can’t help yourself, can you? And the gloves- when did you get those?”

Akira shrugged as he fed two wires into the keyhole. “What can I say? Closed doors give me anxiety. I feel better knowing I can open them… And I figured I’d need some at some point. It’s not wise to leave fingerprints around with a detective always lurking about.”

Goro squeezed the handle of his umbrella thinking about what Maki said, ignoring the jab Akira took at him, “You don’t want to be locked in?”

“I don’t want to be trapped.” Akira’s voice was flat. “I used to think locks would always keep me- keep me trapped. But then I learned I can open them. Any one of them with the right tools. After that, I resolved no one was ever going to trap me again.” Akira pulled back from the door as he heard the final tumbler give way. He stood up and opened the door with a smile. “After you, my dear detective.”

Goro normally would have rolled his eyes in reply to Akira’s ridiculous nature, but not this time. Instead he found himself overthinking Dr. Sonomura’s story of being locked in an attic. A door between Akira and freedom, between Akira and death. Only openable by the very people who could have killed him. An incident that happened so long ago, but that would persist for the rest of Akira’s life…

He wondered how much of his mother shaped his behavior now.

He entered the house, closing up the umbrella. Akira entered behind him.

Goro’s eyes made a quick sweep of the room. No one was there. Actually, it looked like no one had been there in a long time. There was furniture covered with sheets, and those sheets all had a layer of dust on them. Even the floor was covered with it. Had Yuuki’s rumor been wrong?

“Boy, Sudou could use a maid…” Akira said from behind him.

Goro took a few steps forward and then stopped. His eyes still trained on the floor. It was dusty, but he could almost make out where it was lighter in some areas.

“Foot prints,” he pointed ahead of him. “Do you see them on the floor? Someone has been walking here…” He started forward, motioning for Akira to follow. He made sure to follow the path of the footprints, telling Akira to do the same. He didn’t want anyone to see new ones stomped through the house.

They followed them into the next room where there was another set across the floor, these were newer, more consistent. Where people had been walking and continuously disturbing the dust, there was a clear view of the floor.

“Over there, that’s where they’re going…” Goro crossed the room to the second path. “But where does it lead?” He glanced down the hallway the foot prints went down and saw them end at a door. He expected to need Akira to pick the lock again, but when he tried the handle, it was open. Before them was a stairwell leading down.

It was dark, but Goro could see a crack of light at the bottom, coming from underneath another door. “Come on,” he spoke quietly to Akira and started down the stairs. If he had looked back he would have seen the other teenager stopped at the top of them. Unmoving. It wasn’t until he was halfway down that he realized he was alone.

Goro turned back to see Akira, looking down the stairs with a pale expression. “Akira?”

“Huh?” The boy’s head snapped up.

“Akira, come on… And close the door behind you. We want to leave everything how we found it.”

“R-right,” Akira put his hand on the door and slowly started to close it, lingering for a moment on the last sliver of light falling his face. Once the door was shut he didn’t let go of the handle. “I-it’s kind of dark, right?”

Goro heard him say behind him. He stopped walking again and fished out his phone to turn the flashlight. He pointed it at Akira who squinted as the light fell on his face. “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” he answered probably a bit too quickly. Akira let go of the door and came down the stairs until he could put a hand on Goro’s shoulder. “Yes, just- um- keep going. It’s probably nothing.”

Goro lingered on him for a moment before turning back to finish walking down the stairs. The door at the bottom opened up to reveal a basement converted into what could only be best described as a lab. There were lights on overhead, shining on white tiled floors, a few tables set up with chemicals, and shelves filled with bottles and books. A computer station and what looked like a hospital bed with a camera set up next to it.

Goro looked the room over, taking it all in, waiting for the shock to die down. He slowly stepped forward turning around in a circle. “I- I need to record this-!” He set his briefcase down, switched to the camera on his phone, and began taking pictures. As he did so, he turned back to the door and saw Akira standing perfectly still, holding the strap of his bag with both hands. He lowered his phone and looked at the boy’s face. Behind his glasses, his eyes were closed and his lips were parted like he was breathing through his mouth.

“Akira,” Goro walked over to him. As soon as he touched his shoulder the other teen jumped. “Akira!”

“Sorry, sorry I just-“ Akira’s eyes didn’t stay settled on Goro. The detective watched as they darted around the room. He was watching something, something that wasn’t there. Akira let go of his bag and squeezed Jun’s watch around his wrist. “J-just get what you need. I’ll wait here…”

“Akira,” Goro shook his head, “Are you alright? What’s going on?”

“Nothing is. Nothing is going on. I just, this room is  _ crawling _ .”

Goro looked around. It looked like a normal room to him. Well, as normal as secret lab could look, he supposed. He turned back to Akira. “Being in here is upsetting you, isn’t it?”

“Hmn,” Akira looked away. He lifted one foot and tapped it against the tile. If Goro could read minds, he would hear him struggling to think up an answer. Struggling through an increasingly growing chorus of distressed whispers and inky hands. “The Lion.”

“What?” Goro looked around expecting to see the aforementioned Shadow. “Where?”

“Here… But not right now, but here!” Akira took a deep breath. “I’ve seen him here, at least, at least that’s what I- I think. I’ve seen him here.”

“You’ve been in here before?”

“No.”

“No?” Goro parroted back to him.

“I don’t remember,” Akira let his eyes drop. “But it feels like I’ve seen him here. And the Shadows, this entire room-”

“But it’s well lit?”

“That doesn’t matter!” Akira snapped at him. “They’re here, they’re here- This place. I’ve seen the Lion here. I can feel it.”

“Okay, okay,” Goro tucked his phone away and reached out to grab Akira’s hand. “Just, give me a moment.” He squeezed his hands around the other teenager’s. “I just have to get something I can bring back for a warrant. Something that won’t indicate we’ve broken in here… Okay?”

“Yeah, okay…”

Goro let go of his hand and pulled back. He had to act fast. Something about this room was putting Akira on edge. He walked around scanning the shelves. There were pills marked in bottles: ID-02 Alianiv. ID-06 Alianiv, ID-10 Keetonin, ID-11 Keetonin, ID-12 Alianiv. He stopped. That one was the one Okamura was taking. Were these all the same? The numbers were different. He snapped a photo.

“Different versions? What do they do?” He turned and quickly picked up one of the books flipping through it. It was pull of printouts of list of effects and reactions to different drug combinations. Parts were highlighted for desired outcomes. Some pages were stamped terminated, indicating the drug had been a failure.

Behind him he heard Akira make a noise, almost like was gagging. He looked back over his shoulder to see he was clearly shuddering. Goro closed the book. He could just take it. But there were so many… And he didn’t have time. He put it back and scanned the room, walking quickly over to the computer.

“They’re clearly testing a drug down here… Perhaps this is where they try it first before feeding it to the patients at Morimoto?” He booted up the computer and sighed. Of course, it needed a password. He didn’t have the time to guess it. Akira pushed off the door and stumbled forward across the room.

Goro still felt that he needed something, more than just photos. He ran his hands through his hair and cursed under his breath. When he looked back at Akira, he saw him now standing next to the bed, his expression blank. It was more like he was looking through it, through the floor even. Goro walked over to him, reaching out slowly. “You probably don’t want to lie on that bed-” the moment he put his hand on Akira, he spun around, swinging his fist out. Completely unaware that Goro was there.

The detective jumped back, his shoulder hitting the camera stand and causing it to fall over. The camera itself clattered on the ground, breaking apart.

The two stopped moving and looked down at the broken pieces.

“So much for leaving no traces…” Goro knelt down and started picking up the pieces. Well if it was broken, then this was going to be what he took. He checked the memory card slot, and nodded to himself when he saw there was one still inside. He took the pieces and tossed them into his briefcase.

“Let’s get out of here, Akira.” He extended his hand to him. Akira took it willingly and followed Goro out of the basement and out of the house.   
  


  
  


Once outside the Sudou estate gate, Goro raised his umbrella to protect himself and Akira from the rain. The house was still within view when he asked if Akira was feeling better.

“No,” Akira sighed. “I feel like I’m going to be sick.”

“Hmn.” Goro looked Akira over and saw Morgana sticking his head out of the bag. He was somewhat surprised the cat was risking exposure to the rain. He wasn’t even looking at Akira, but down the street. With a quick glance up, Goro didn’t notice anything of note that would interest a cat. No one was on the street, save for them and a lone black car parked a few houses down.

“I’ve… I’ve been in there before,” Akira muttered, leaning on his bike.

“Do you remember what happened?”

Akira shook his head, “I just remember him standing over me. The Lion was standing over me. I think- I think that might have been the first time I saw him.”

“You’re first time?” Goro reached over and held Akira’s shoulder. “Let’s walk around a bit. I don’t want to send you home shaken up like this, it’ll cause problems. Do you have your medication from Sonomura-san?”

Akira nodded.

“Let’s find a place for you to get a drink so you can take it.”

They weren’t likely to find a vending machine around the residential district, so it would be a bit of a walk. As they went, Goro kept glancing at Akira, watching his face to ensure he wasn’t going to freak out again. And every now and again, he caught sight of Morgana, pointing his ears back in agitation and occasionally growling. Yet every time he looked back where the cat was looking, all he saw was a black car.

Actually, no matter what street they were on, all he saw behind them was that black car.

“Shit,” Goro looked ahead and rubbed his forehead.

“What’s wrong?”

“There’s a car following us,” Akira started to turn his head, but Goro stopped him. “No, don’t let them know that we know they’re back there. We have to get someplace safe, with more people. Fast.”

“… My grandmother’s house is just a few blocks over.” Akira pointed off to the side. “I mean it’s not full of people, but there’s a couple of housekeepers. And a locked gate.”

“That’s good enough,” Goro looked at Akira, “Get on the back of the bike, I’ll peddle.”

“I can-”

“You’re in no condition, and I can go faster than you. Just do it.” He lowered his umbrella. “Hurry.” Akira grabbed his bag and sat down while Goro sat on the seat of the bike. As promised, he took off, pushing the bike off as fast he could. He felt Akira lean forward and grab onto his back to steady himself as he shouted directions.

Every time they turned a corner he glanced back to see the car was now moving faster, still following them.

When did it even arrive? And how could he be so careless? Well it didn’t matter now; he wasn’t going to let it catch them.

 

 

They arrived at Kurosu gate dripping wet from the rain. Akira’s grandmother had a traditional estate, sectioned off by a stone wall with a wooden door. Akira got off the back of the bike, clutching the now closed bag close to his chest as he rang the buzzer at the front.

Goro stood behind, holding the bike and glaring down the street. The car had followed them all the way here, and was now just sitting at the end of the corner.

Through the voice speaker, one of the housekeepers responded, overjoyed to hear Akira’s voice. His grandmother wasn’t home, but they were still willing to let the boys in out of the rain. The brunette kept his eyes on the car up until the gate was shut behind them.

Inside, the housekeeper offered to fetch them some robes so she could take their clothes and dry them. She lead them down a hall to Akira’s room in the house and asked them to leave their clothing in the hallway for her to collect.

The room was simple enough. There was a futon to lie on, a little work desk on the floor in the corner, a TV with a shelf that had every game you could imagine on it, a dresser, a closet, and another shelf with a variety of things items ranging from things a little boy would play with to things a teenager would need.

Goro reached out and picked up a featherman figure off the shelf. “Quite the room.”

“I guess,” Akira put down his bag and let Morgana out. The cat had gotten lightly soaked and started shaking and grooming himself as soon as he was free. “I’m not here often, so whatever I bring over and leave just stays here.” Akira stood up and immediately started to peel off his school uniform.

“Ah, well,” Goro put down the toy and scooped up the robe set aside for him, “I’ll get changed in the bathroom.” He walked briskly past Akira who started to say something, but Goro didn’t hear it. He slid the door shut and rubbed his forehead before retreating to find the bathroom.

Once he was changed, he made his way back to Akira’s room where he saw the other boy had tossed his clothing out in a pile. Despite them being wet, Goro still folded his. He set them down next to Akira’s before knocking and sliding the door open.

Inside, Akira was dressed in the robe given to him lying face down on his futon. Morgana was on his back.

“Akira?” He closed the door behind him and sat down next to him. “Are you feeling any better?” He watched as Akira’s shoulders moved, indicating a shrug. “We could ask the housekeeper to bring you some water so you can take your medication.”

“Already took it,” he muttered into his pillow.

“You did? With what?”

“Took it dry.”

Goro shuddered. That was madness. “Well at least you’ll start to feel better soon.” He folded his arms and looked out over the room. They sat in silence for a while before Akira turned his head to speak.

“I’m sorry.”

Goro turned to face him, keeping his arms crossed. “What for?”

“I shouldn’t have gone with you… You had to leave. You didn’t get anything.” Akira turned his face back down into his pillow. “I’m sorry.”

That was true. They did leave sooner than expected because of Akira, but… “Don’t apologize for that. It would have been distasteful of me to make you stay there and suffer. Besides, I did learn that you’ve been there. And just the knowledge alone that the estate is in use for experiments is a good start.”

“You’re a terrible liar.” Akira’s muffled voice responded.

He couldn’t help but smile softly at the response. He wasn’t lying. “It’s true I could have gotten more. But we got enough. Plus, there’s the memory card from the camera to look at. All in all, it was successful.” He reached out to pat Akira on the back.

He turned to face him once again, “How long do you think we should stay here?”

“I’m not sure. It’s probably not safe to go back on our own.” Goro ran his hand over his hair. “You should call Jun-san and have him come pick you up.”

“What? Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Goro nodded. “It's more important that we make sure you get home in one piece than we try to hide things. I know I want to keep this under wraps, but I’m not irresponsible.”

“If you say so.” Akira pushed himself to get up from the bed and retrieved his phone. Goro got up as well, but went to go stand outside and wait. He didn’t know how long it would take for his clothes to dry, but once he knew Akira was on his way home, he’d leave. It didn’t matter if they followed him back to his hotel.

The door to Akira’s room slid open and the black haired teen came out to join him in the hall. “Pops said he'll be here in thirty minutes. He’s got to close up the shop.”

“Right, well then… I guess we have time to spare…”

“We could get something to eat,” Akira suggested, closing the door to his room. “Your stomach was growling earlier.”

“I- well…” Goro cleared his throat before allowing Akira to lead the way to the kitchen.

They located the kitchen and Akira rummaged around for anything he could make for them quickly. Unfortunately, his grandmother was anything but a woman of simple dining. He did manage to find a few packages of instant noodles the staff kept on hand for themselves. He’d have to replace them later. After heating up their food Akira lead Goro out of the kitchen to sit out in one of the home’s outer halls that overlooked the garden. The rain was finally starting to die down. As was his anxiety.

“Maybe we can go back at a later time?”

“Doubtful,” Goro shook his head as he slurped up another helping of noodles. “They’ll be watching the house now. Better to let the police department investigate.”

Akira grumbled, “So then, where to next?”

“Zodiac, I suppose. Hopefully Mishmia’s website gossip is as helpful there was it was in this case.”

“It’ll go better than this, I’m sure,” Akira finished off his food, tilting his head back to drink up the last of the broth. As soon as he finished, they heard a woman calling his name.

Both the boys turned to see an old woman. She had long hair that Goro could see at some point had to have been black, but was now mostly grey. It was swept to the side, covering the right half of her face. Despite her age, her skin looked flawless, hardly any wrinkles- but that was probably attributed to makeup. She was wearing an emerald green dress that came down past her feet and still wearing a red raincoat.

She smiled brightly at Akira and held open her arms, “Aki! Dear! You should have told me you were going to come visit! I would have been home to greet you.”

Akira got to his feet and met the woman’s hug, though Goro could tell that he was somewhat stiff about it.

“Sorry, Gran, it was kind of an on the spot thing. We were just trying to get out of the rain.” Akira turned to Goro, who was now getting to his feet.

“It’s nice to meet you, Kurosu-san. I’m Akira’s friend, Akechi, Goro.”

“Oh,” she laughed lightly at the introduction, “I know who you are.”

“You do?” Akira was shocked, but Goro a little less. By now he was used to anyone Tatsuya had contact with knowing to keep an eye out for him.

“Of course I do, Aki!” The woman seemed almost offended, “He’s a celebrity in Tokyo! I’ve seen him on TV countless times. The genius second coming of the Detective Prince!”

“Ah, you’ve seen me on television,” Goro nodded, almost relieved that for once his fame had been what sold him out. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet a woman as famous as you, Kurosu-san. My paltry few TV appearances are nothing compared to your cinematography.” He smiled, immediately pouring on that interview charm of his. It seemed to work as he watched the woman’s face brighten.

“And my, but aren’t you charming? Coupled with that brain and those looks, you must be quite besieged by every girl in Tokyo.”

“Oh, but how I wish I could say I wasn’t,” Goro chuckled at her, “I would almost say outrunning fans is my fulltime job and not detective work.”

“Oh! Ha!” Junko put a hand to her chest and laughed out loud. Goro joined in with her, half as a reflex and half to be polite. Akira was the only one not laughing, rather rolling his eyes over the exchange. “What a delight! Oh, Akira, you’ve always been brilliant at making friends, but this young man is perfect!” His grandmother put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re really in tune with the spotlight you know. When are you going to put yourself in it, and stop just dabbling with other’s aspirations?”

“Ah, Grandma, I already told you- I don’t think I’d make a good actor. It’s kind of stressful.”

“Non-sense! You just haven’t tried!” The woman dismissed his concerns, “Come on, let’s talk about it inside, out of the rain. I’ll have the maid pour us a few drinks while you wait for your clothing to dry.”

Before Akira could say another word, she’d already turned and started walking down the hallway. He sighed and glanced at Goro, motioning to follow her.

He could quickly see that there was no getting a word in edgewise with Akira’s grandmother. Junko berated the boy with questions about what he was going to do after school, suggestions that he should move to Tokyo with her, hounding him to just try one casting call, she was certain he’d love it. Half the time Akira’s answers were to her disliking, so she smothered them out with her own voice and suggestions.

She lead them into a side dining room to take a seat and wait for the housekeeper to bring their drinks. However, when Akira entered the room, he stopped at the table and stared across at the wall at a painting hanging up. Goro didn’t really see anything about it that couldn’t be seen from sitting down. The entire canvas was painted a blue so dark it could pass for the night sky. The layer of paint on it was thick, and parts of it had been purposely scraped away to reveal there was a lighter layer of paint underneath. The hidden layer appeared to be a mixture of yellow and white, peeking out from the peeled back part that was slashed across the canvas at an angle so it almost looked like something, or someone, had intentionally clawed at it over and over again.

“Do you like that painting, Aki?” Junko asked as the maid entered, she set down three glasses and poured each of them a serving of wine.

Goro squint at the glasses for a second, “We’re minors…”

“Where did you get that?” Akira still wasn’t sitting.

“I got it at a show in Tokyo!” His grandmother was excited. “It’s a Madarame original!” She clapped her hands together, “It was on display at a gallery showing, the artist himself was there and we struck up a conversation. He just described so  _ passionately _ what he was feeling to me when he made that piece. Fear, loathing, longing… He called it ‘Separation Wounds’… He didn’t want to part with it at first, but I had to have it. I knew that it would catch your eye…”

“Yusuke,” Akira looked down at her, his eyes wide and his lower lip shaking, “Yusuke painted that.”

“Yusuke, ah, yes, his pupil. No, he didn’t paint that one dear… But he was there. At the show.” Junko picked up her glass and raised it to her lips. “They live in Tokyo now. Did you know that, Aki?”

Goro saw Akira’s hand twitch out the corner of his eyes.

“You know, you could go to all the art gallery showings with me, if you moved to Tokyo. I’m sure that you’d run into Yusuke again, if you did-”

“I don’t think that that’s wise.” Goro interjected, leaning forward in his seat, “After all, Akira is being treated for a serious mental health problem. He shouldn’t be removed from his doctor unless they approve.”

“ _ Mental health problem, _ ” the old woman sneered. As she said the words, for once the wrinkles across her skin became visible, “There is nothing wrong with Akira. All this- talk of him having problems is nonsense. So he got into a little scuffle, so what? If Tatsuya had just taken my lawyer like I suggested, it wouldn’t have been a problem. Money solves every issue.”

“Akira is sick,” Goro countered. “Money won’t fix that. Your grandson needs care.”

“Hmph,” Junko’s looked him up down, re-evaluating Goro on the spot, “For all your intelligence, you’re easily fooled. Akira,” she turned back to her grandson, all smiles. “Tell your little friend here that you’re fine.” She watched the black-haired teen slowly sit down. “You’re not crazy, are you?”

“…No, I’m not.”

“Akira, you might not be crazy, but you are si-”

“He is not sick!” The woman snapped. “Don’t let anyone tell you that are, Akira. You don’t want to end up labeled like my worthless ex-husband.” She took another sip form her glass, “They’re just trying ruin you, dear. They’ll keep telling you you’re mad until you kill yourself. You’re not going to let them drag you down like that, are you?”

“You certainly would be the expert on that kind of smear tactic, wouldn’t you?” Goro crossed his arms and glared across the table at her.

“Excuse you? How dare you take that tone with me, in my home-”

“Akira,” Goro turned to him, “Tell her the truth!”

Akira sat still looking at his glass on the table before him. He didn’t have an answer. Or rather he didn’t know what to answer. So he reached out and took the glass before gulping it down. Goro instantly let out a cry of displeasure.

“You shouldn’t drink that! You just took your medication!”

“God, are they still giving you those awful pills, that’s what will really make you mad. Get rid of them, Aki. If you move to Tokyo, you won’t have to take them anymore. I promise.”

Goro put a hand on Akira’s shoulder, “We should go. Akira, get up, we’re going.”

“Now hold it right there!” Just as the group was getting to their feet, the door to the dining room opened. This time Jun stood in the doorway. Goro paused for a moment, looking at Akira’s father. He already had a look of displeasure on his face.

“Jun,” his mother sighed with a smile, “I didn’t realize you were coming. When did you get here?”

“At ‘Tell you’re little friend here that you’re fine’,” he stepped into the room, ignoring the boys, “Mother, we talked about this.”

Junko looked away, exhaling through her mouth, “We did, and you’re wrong.” She looked back at him with a smile. “I’m not letting you drag down Akira like you let yourself get dragged down by Akinari. It’s pointless!”

“Mother.”

“I’m just trying to do what’s best for my family, but you constantly make me out to be some sort of-  _ witch _ !”

Jun turned to Goro, “Can you two go wait in Akira’s room?”

“Certainly,” Goro held onto Akira’s shoulder and dragged him away as Jun and his mother began debating the boy’s mental health.

 

 

Back in Akira’s room, Goro shut the door and watched Akira take a seat on his futon. Their clothing had been returned, folded nearly and placed on the dresser. “Well, that was… exciting.”

“…Yeah.”

“She’s, um, very adamant about changing your lifestyle.” Goro watched Akira lie down with another half-hearted ‘yeah’. “I wonder why?”

“She’s old,” Akira muttered, lying on his side now, his hands stretched out off the bed. They were trembling slightly as Morgana came over to rub his face against them. “She old, and she failed with Pops. She can’t stand the thought of fading away… Someone has to take up her mantle.”

“Ah,” Goro sat down on the futon next to Akira and reached out to pat his shoulder. “Are you going to be okay?”

“…Is it terrible that I want to go?” Akira glanced up at him, “I’d like to see Yusuke again.” Goro shook his head. He supposed that was a normal reaction. “But if I left, that would mean I was running away from everything here. I don’t know if that would fix anything. If that would fix me… My Shadows would just follow me.”

“Akira,” he squeezed his shoulder. “Try not to think about it. You can think about what to do for that later, after this is over.”

Akira closed his eyes, “But I don’t know what I’m going to do when this is over. When the Shadows are gone, and everyone leaves me… I don’t know what’s next. I don’t think there is a next.” Goro didn’t respond. He wasn’t really sure what to say, so Akira kept talking. “I asked Pops if he needed me here. You know, he said he couldn’t imagine his world without me… But I think about his world without me all the time.”

Goro watched as Akira’s hands started to shake a bit more he reached out and grabbed his forearm, “I think you’re just feeling overwhelmed. And you did drink a glass of wine after taking your medication. You’re just- feeling tired.”

“I’m not tired!” Akira snapped at him. He pulled his arms away and rolled over. “I’m miserable. I’m sick, and I’m a scared and I’m tired.”

“You just said-”

“Shut up!” Goro watched him wrap his arms around himself. “How do you deal with this? How do you deal with this feeling that you don’t belong here? Maybe I shouldn’t have left my attic. Maybe I should just let the Shadows kill me. Because we met, Yusuke painted that picture. And all that lead to was pain. I gave him that pain. I made Tatsuya frustrated. I made Jun worry. I ruined your investigation. And you don’t even want me around. How do you deal with that feeling?” Goro could hear his voice was shaking now, “How do you expect me to deal with that feeling?”

The detective sat quietly. In front of the futon Morgana was sitting, watching Akira’s back. The cat looked up at him as they both listened to him cry.

How do you deal with feeling like you shouldn’t have been?

Goro wished he had an answer for Akira. But he didn’t. He didn’t know.

He'd never figured out how to deal with it himself.

  
  
  
  


Akira wasn’t sure when he started crying.

He wasn’t even really sure why, either. Goro was trying to tell him he was just feeling overwhelmed and maybe that was true. But he didn’t care. He could stop feeling like everything was wrong. His heart was racing, his lungs burned and his eyes were pouring out tears non-stop.

They came even faster when Goro stopped trying to talk to him.

This was pathetic. He had to stop. He had to.

Akira flinched when he felt a hand on his head. The sensation stopped for a second, as if waiting for him to move, but then it started up again. A hand on his head; fingers slowly running through the tangle of black curls on his head. It didn’t quite stop him from crying, but it did make him turn his head. While he knew Goro was the only other person in the room, it still surprised him to find it was the detective gently stroking his head.

Akira laid, half turned over, looking up at him, blinking in confusion.

“G-goro?” He stopped at the sound of his name. The brunette pulled his hand back and awkwardly folded his hands together.

“Sorry, I, just wasn’t sure what to tell you…” Akira watched his eyes drift away from the scene. The expression eerily vacant, but familiar.

“How- How do you deal with it?” Akira slowly reached out for his hands, his voice barely above a murmur. His arm was still shaking. Maybe he really shouldn’t have had that glass of wine.

“Deal with it?” Goro accepted his hand, but still wasn’t quite looking at him.

“Deal with the pain?”

“Ah, I-” Goro shrugged. Akira slowly pushed himself to sit up and leaned forward so that his forehead found a place for itself on the crook between Goro’s neck and shoulder. “I think about everything else. I guess.” He licked his lips. “Its like I said before, if I just don’t think about it, then I can move forward. I can focus on what comes next.”

“What is next for you?” Akira used his free hand to wipe under his eyes, trying to catch and shove off the last few tears.

Looking down, he watched the detectives chest rise as he inhaled and held it, “I have something I have to do. A case that I have yet to solve. So, after this, after you I have to work on that. There’s not really time to think about old pain or new pain when I know I still have that to do.”

“And then what?”

Goro chuckled, and Akira felt his body shake in turn. “It won’t be right away. It will take time, lots of time…” He felt Goro’s free hand reach up and pat the back of his head. “Lots of time and many more cases. Maybe it will take my entire life, but I have to keep going.”

“Your entire life, hmn?” Akira closed his eyes. He was right. The thing Goro was chasing, the thing that gave him purpose was far beyond his reach. Maybe he could never understand it. Maybe he could never have it or the detective. “Can I come?” He spoke without thinking.

“What?” Goro shifted so Akira had to pick his head up and they could look at each other.

“Can I come, and help you… Like you’re helping me?” Bewildered was the first word that came to Akira’s mind as the thought settled on Goro’s face. “You promised you’d stick with me. And I’ll stick with you… No one needs me here. Maybe I should just go with you.”

“Aren’t you worried you’ll ‘ruin’ things again?” He asked mockingly.

“I guess… But, who’s going to get you into all those locked doors?” Akira watched as the older teen scoffed. He looked away for a moment in thought before looking back at Akira and nodding.

“Do you feel better now? A little less shaken?”

“I feel terrible,” he smiled. “But I’ve felt worse.”

“Well you look worse, if that’s anything.”

“Oh, thank you.” Akira rolled his eyes. He pulled his hand back to take off his glasses and vainly try to dry his eyes. Still, he smiled. He vaguely felt a pang of guilt that all he wanted right now was to stay in this room and talk to Goro. No, not even talk, he could just hold his hand or stare at him. Something about him was comforting.

It was like having everything stored in his box in the presence of a person. And he didn’t want him to leave, but Akira knew the feeling didn’t run as deep for Goro as it did for him. He didn’t get to appreciate the peace for long. A gentle knock came at the door before it slid open.

Jun peeked in and smiled at the two of them. “Come on and get dressed, boys. It’s time to go.” He motioned for them to get up before he shut the door. Despite his insistence that it wasn’t needed, Jun insisted on dropping Goro off at his hotel. The detective noted that the strange black car was missing from the street when they left.

He sat in the back seat, quiet the entire ride. He was sure he’d hear from Tatsuya sooner then he wanted to. But it was worth it to ensure Akira got home safe. Jun didn’t even ask what they were doing, or why they were together. He was less suspicious of Goro, but he knew Jun was loyal to his partner. There was no way he was going to get out of this scot-free.

  
  



	25. Zodiac Sign

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> O M G so I wanted to put this up two? weeks? Ago? I didn’t cause it took me longer to write than expected. It took me longer to write than expected cause shit’s long… Anyway! Let’s get the shoutouts out the way!
> 
> [Rudolphsd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rudolphsd/pseuds/Rudolphsd) continues to be my beta in shinning armor. If you want to talk to my idiot self you can find me [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)
> 
>  
> 
> **This notice is actually kind of important read me!!**  
>  1.) There are some new tags! Why weren’t they there from the start? Spoilers! The story is at a point where I will probably be taking on new tags every chapter. Uh-oh…  
> 2.) Thanks to Rudolphsd over the next few days ('cause I’m lazy right now) The first 1-20 chapters are getting a clean up. Yay!  
> 3.) This is the one where you hate me… The next update’s gonna be awhile. I have to work on/finish my one shot for the [ ShuakeshuBB](https://shuakeshubb.tumblr.com/) so until I get that done I’m not working on this.
> 
>  

 

 

On Wednesday morning, Goro had the most real teenager thought he’d ever had in his entire life. He sat on the end of his bed in his hotel room, holding his phone, looking down at the screen. He watched as it lit up and the name ‘Suou, Tatsuya’ lingered in his vision.  
  
Honestly, he was surprised Tatsuya waited until he next morning to call him.

And while he had picked up his phone and been preparing to brace himself for whatever the detective was going to say, a dangerous thought crept into his mind.

‘Just don’t pick up. He can’t yell at you if you don’t answer.’

So he watched the screen. Watched the dots under Tatsuya’s name scroll by, indicating it was ringing. Watched, instead of declining the call- if he purposefully hung up the man would be furious. But he could just let it ring to exhaustion and move on. When it stopped ringing, he closed his eyes and sighed. That was more than likely equally as taxing on him as it would have been to just talk to Tatsuya. How do others let their phone ring endlessly?

He started to set his phone down on the bed when the screen lit up again.

‘Suou, Tatsuya’.

“He’s not going to stop…” Goro groaned. Resigned to his fate, he answered. “Good morning, Suou-san.”

“Akechi. Make sure you come by the police department today.” His tone was about as friendly as the cold wind of a winter storm. It cut right through his chest and made him shudder.

“I would love to, Suou-san, however I’m a bit busy this morning. I have a lead to check up on, I don’t have the-”

“Either come by the station, or I will find you out in the city.” Tatsuya cut him off. No was not an acceptable answer.

“…I see. Then I will see you at the police department.”

“See that you do.”

Tatsuya hung up. Goro pulled the phone away from his ear and sighed. He wondered if he should stop by weapons desk and ask for a bullet-proof vest before going to see Akira’s father.

 

  

Akira had gotten up that morning and made it as far as then end of the hallway before stopping and pressing himself against the wall. He could hear Tatsuya and Jun talking in the kitchen, and he had a feeling the subject would change as soon as he reared his head. Morgana rubbed up against his legs, desiring for him to continue forward so they could have breakfast, but Akira was determined to wait. 

“You know, Tatsuya, if I were him, I wouldn’t come by the station after that call.” Jun’s voice carried softly through the room. It was accompanied by the slow and steady clink of a spoon against the side of a mug. 

“He wants to be treated like an adult… So, I’m going to treat him like one,” Tatsuya’s words came with gaps between his phrases. More than likely pauses for him to drink his coffee. 

“Akira was alright when I got there. He even said it was Akechi’s idea to call me.” 

“I’m not rewarding him for coming to the conclusion that he should clean up his mistake.” There was another pause from Tatsuya. The next time he spoke he raised his voice, “That goes for you too, Akira.” 

The teenager flinched, but didn’t get off of the wall. He couldn’t see his parents from where he was, and he was certain they couldn’t see him. Surly, his dad was just guessing that he was there. If he didn’t move, Tatsuya would just move on… 

“Morgana is waiting for you come fill his bowl,” he called out to him again. 

Akira looked down and sure enough, his cat was gone. He slowly peeked his head around the corner and spied Morgana at the end of the kitchen, sitting and staring at the hallway. 

Traitor. 

He pushed off the wall and shuffled into the kitchen, stopping briefly to pet Morgana before turning to his parents. “Morning.” 

“Good morning, dear,” Jun smiled at him from over the end of his coffee mug, “How are you feeling? Did you sleep okay?” 

“I slept terribly…” Akira grabbed Morgana’s food out a cabinet and fed him, muttering to the creature that they need to have a serious talk about stealth. 

“You probably would have slept better if you hadn’t accepted that drink at your grandmother’s.” Tatsuya watched him put the food away and start to fix himself breakfast. 

Akira shrugged. “Actually, I slept terrible cause I kept getting up to go to the bathroom after all that water Pops made me drink.” 

“I only did that to make sure you’d be okay,” Jun set down his coffee mug and watched Akira as came over to take a seat next to him. “You really shouldn’t have done that. Akira, those kinds of irresponsible combinations can kill you.” 

Akira glanced back and forth between the two adults watching him and half heartedly shrugged. 

Tatsuya sighed and shook his head, “So I guess we’re going to go back to having one of us always be present for your doses? Like when you were in middle school?” 

“What?! No!” Akira shook his head, “I don’t need to be watched. I know how to take my medication.” 

“I’m not so convinced after yesterday.” The detective took a sip of his coffee. 

“Pops!” Akira turned to Jun, but the other man was pressing his lips together in a flat line. His eyes were focused on Tatsuya, though he was facing their son. “You can’t be serious?” 

“If-” Jun took a deep breath, “If something like this happens again, then yes.” 

Akira scoffed and let his elbow rest on the table so he could rest his cheek in his palm while he picked at his breakfast. He wasn’t even hungry. Tatsuya finished his food and told Akira as soon as he was done, he was dropping him off at school. 

In response, Akira ate even slower.

  


 

Goro arrived at the police station, walking at a slower pace than usual. He had no desire to face Tatsuya. He had no excuse prepared, and he had no defense either. Though he supposed he had brought this on himself by having Akira call Jun yesterday. 

As he opened the station doors, he caught sight of Sylvia rushing away from the entrances and down the sidewalk to quickly duck around the corner. Goro let go of the door handle and followed her slowly, cautious to not give himself away. 

As he approached the corner, he could hear her muttering. 

“Just one, just one and fa-ast! Oh my god! Before Tatsuya gets here!” 

“Calm down, will you?” he head a man reply, “I lost my lighter- I’ve only got matches.” 

Goro stuck his head around the corner to see Ueda and Sylvia standing clear of any windows around the side of the building. The man was extending a cigarette to her, that she snatched from him greedily and started inhale as if she was going to die without it. 

“Oh. My. God.” She sighed, “How many weeks was that?” 

“Just two,” Ueda lit his next and then pulled out another. He held it up in the air in Goro’s direction, “You want one?” 

Sylvia immediately jumped and threw hers to the ground as she turned to face him. “Oh! OH! It’s just Tokyo!” She rolled her eyes and snatched the new one from Ueda’s fingers. 

“What are you two doing?” The brunette walked down the alley towards them. 

“Sylvia’s trying to quit.” Ueda motioned to the woman. 

“I did quit! Technically!” The American extended her new cigarette toward the other adult while she waited for him to light it. “But Tatsuya and Akiyama have a bet against me. They cannot see me smoking-” She pointed at Goro, “You did not see this, Tokyo!” 

“Won’t they smell the smoke on you?” he asked, watching her bring the new stick to her lips. 

“I’m always in this idiot’s squad car. So I can just pass it off as second hand!” 

Ueda removed his cigarette for a breath of fresh air before speaking, “She also downs a thing of travel mouthwash and chews threw half a pack of gum. But I’m positive Akiyama knows.” 

“He can’t prove it though!” She huffed. 

The two stood silently blowing smoke in each other’s face for a moment before Goro spoke up, “I see. Well, if that’s all, then I’ll excuse myself. I have to see Tatsuya right away.” 

“Oh, he’s not here yet,” Sylvia stopped him. “That’s why I’m out here.” 

“Ah.” Goro’s face lit up. “Well then, perhaps I’ll just be on my way and see him another-” 

“He did call ahead, and told us if we saw you to tell you to wait in his office.” The bearded man grinned. “What’d you do?” 

“I didn’t do anything.” Goro lowered his eyes. “This is all just- just a misunderstanding beyond my control…” 

Sylvia put her lips together and tried to muffle the laugh forming in her chest at Goro’s response, “You kids! You’re better off just coming clean with Tatsuya, you know? I guarantee you, whatever skeletons you’re hiding, he’s already found them. It’s impossible for you to keep secrets from him.”  
  
“And yet, here you are,” Goro answered her dryly. The response caused Ueda to choke on his laughter. 

Sylvia rolled her eyes, but she smiled, “You know, I kind of like your wit, Tokyo. It matches well to Akira’s sass.” The woman waved him off, “Just remember, my advice! Tell him the truth! You’ve nothing to gain from lying to him!” 

Little did she know Goro’s problem was he felt the truth would get him a bullet to the face.

 

 

 

Despite his better judgement, Goro didn’t bother to stop in at the equipment desk and ask for a bullet proof vest before making his way up to Tatsuya’s office. After all, it’s not like the man could kill him in the middle of the police station, right? 

He was sure there were a long list of faults and problems Tatsuya wanted to unrattled in his ear, and for at least one of them he would have to agree. Akira _had_ to stop following him. It was dangerous. If the Kurosu residence hadn’t been so close by, who knows what would have happened with the car that was following them? Who would he have had to confront with Akira already on edge? It could have been like the park all over again, only with much dire consequences. 

Granted, he couldn’t really say the outcome they faced at the hands of Junko was much better, but at least she wasn’t trying to kill them. She was just selfishly determined to sink her finely manicured nails into her grandson and mold him into the type of person she thought he should be. 

But at least she wanted him alive. 

He didn’t have to wait long for the door to Tatsuya’s office to open, and for the other detective to join him. Goro had been sitting, but as soon as the other detective entered, he stood up. Tatsuya only glanced at him for a second before he started talking. 

“So, what happened yesterday?” The man circled his desk and took a seat. Not even a hello. 

Goro cleared his throat, “Yesterday, Akira started to have a panic attack so I was going to escort him home, but it seemed like a far journey in the rain. He suggested that his grandmother’s estate was close by,  I took him there. I- had no idea that Kurosu-san was going to escalate the problem.” 

“Why did he start having an attack?” Tatsuya tilted his head to the side. His gaze was unwavering. 

Goro opened his mouth, only to close it and swallow. Sylvia had advised him to tell the truth, but how much of the truth should he disclose? “He started to... panic... when, I suppose, an old memory came back. He was speaking about having a sense of déjà vu, and that started the reaction.” 

“Déjà vu about what?” 

Goro pressed his lips together, “The Sudou Estate.” 

Tatsuya sighed. He placed one hand on the end of his desk and began tapping his middle finger on the surface. “So you took my son to the Sudou Estate?” 

“No,” Goro shook his head. In response Tatsuya glared at him, ready to point out his lie. “Akira followed me to the estate. I never wanted him to come. And when I pointed out to him he needed to stay behind he informed me would just go without me.” 

“You can just call me to deal with him,” the man countered. 

“That only makes it worse,” Goro crossed his arms. “I’ve already seen him run multiple times from facing you. He still would have gone regardless.” The two stared at each other. The younger detective reading Tatsuya’s face: the anger, the frustration, the distrust. He wondered how much of that was mirrored back in his own expression. “Besides,” he broke the silence, “We both know that phone calls around here aren’t private. I don’t really have a desire to be eavesdropped on.” 

That pulled a small, sarcastic chuckle from the other man’s lips. “You don’t like being watched, but you sure do enjoy doing things that require I keep track of you.” The man got to his feet and leaned over his desk, “I’ve already told you before to stay away from Akira, and you can’t manage that, so let’s try something new… First the incident at the park, now at the Sudou Estate, what is your next little trap? What is the next place your boss wants you to clear up for them?” 

“What?” Goro’s eyes narrowed. He shook his head, “No one is directing me to these locations or incidents. I found them on my own. Everything that happened was just- poor timing.” Or great timing, depending upon how one looked at it. 

“Please, you haven’t done _anything_ on your own since you walked in here. From the start you’ve been here to fix this case. I actually thought for a moment you were here honestly… But after everything that’s gone on, its clear you’ve got another motive.” 

“E-even if I did- which I don’t- what makes you think I would tell you?” He took a step back, pulling his arms tighter to his body. Tatsuya stopped leaning forward and started to walk around his desk towards him. He was moving deliberately slow. The man put himself between Goro and the door, his expression stern. The way he was moving toward him, Goro thought for sure at the end of his walk he was going to punch him. Everything about his body movement was stiff, like the way a lion locks up before it springs forward and sinks its claws into its prey. 

Whether Tatsuya meant to harm him or not, he never found out. There came a knock at the door and it swiftly opened before either of them could react. 

“Tatsuya, is Tokyo still in here?” Sylvia stuck her head in. The man stepped to the side to reveal Goro’s presence and she jerked her thumb behind her. “The Chief wants him, but if you’re busy I can tell him to wait.” 

“There’s no need to wait,” Goro unfolded his arms and grabbed his briefcase. “I’ll go right now.” He hastily stepped around Tatsuya and made his way to the door. Sylvia stepped aside to let him pass.

   
  
  


“Akechi,” he paused for a moment but didn’t look back, “Our next conversation is not going to be one you enjoy.” He felt his hand tighten around the handle of his briefcase before he stormed out the office. He was sure he could hear the two adult’s voices drifting after him with questions of what was going on. 

Unfortunately for him, his conversation with Chief Shimazu didn’t go much better. The moment the door shut behind him, the man opened up with nearly the exact same line as Tatsuya. 

“There you are! So, what was that little excursion you took yesterday?”  The man had his phone in his hands, the screen lit up with an ongoing call that he hastily hung up as he turned his attention to Goro. Though it was only a moment, he briefly saw the name Gemini on the screen before it went dark. 

“I assume you’re talking about the Estate Lab.” He walked into the room and took a seat, offered or not. He was already restructuring his thoughts and personality to deal with this man. With Tatsuya he had to be deviously honest and with the Chief he had to naively lie. Both were convinced he already knew everything, and he would love for Tatsuya to accept that he knew nothing but revealing that here would only be his downfall. 

“Of course I’m talking about the lab! What were you thinking? I told you to arrest that boy so I can take Suou off this case!!” 

“Suou-san…” Goro rubbed his chin before shaking his head, “With all due respect, Shimazu-san, even if I arrested Akira, the evidence you have is only circumstantial. To arrest him just because he was at the crime scene, I’d have to arrest myself as well.” He offered the man the most plastic grin that he could. “It would be an open and shut case if there was physical evidence tying him to the crimes.” 

“Physical evidence?” As he questioned him the man’s lips curled up, as if in disgust. But it did give him pause as he considered Goro’s statement. “Is that what you wanted? Physical evidence tying Akira to the murders?” 

He answered without hesitation, “If you have it, I’ll take it.” 

He'd take it right to Tatsuya, if he could put the evidence in his hands then perhaps things would be set straight between them. 

“Come back tomorrow,” the Chief nodded. “Tomorrow, we will have everything we need to arrest him. And as for you, no more poking your nose around where it doesn’t belong. Just deal with the Suous, understand?” 

“Of course.”

  
  


Sticking his nose where it didn’t belong was one of Goro’s specialties, intentionally or not. It often led him to the best clues, or left him alienating groups of his peers. But either way, hell was more likely to freeze over before he followed the Chief’s advice and kept to himself. He left the police station and made his way across town to Yumezaki. Club Zodiac actually wasn’t that far from the arcade Akira dragged him to last week. 

Akira was equal parts fascinating and infuriating, if Goro was honest with himself. Though he understood more now about Akira’s illness than before, he still didn’t really understand Akira. His break-down yesterday was frightening. And he considered, for a moment, that those were what the curly haired boy must imagine his end to look like: breaking down, lonely, scared and suffocating… 

The detective found himself touching his neck, thoughtful about the experience. 

It was a fear being exacerbated by these ‘Masked Shadows’ and murders. And it was up to him to put a stop to it. With or without help of the police department. 

The little indoor strip mall where Zodiac was located appeared to be all closed up during the early morning hours. The front doors to the building were still open, allowing him to access the interior halls, but all the shops were shuttered. Most of them to be little food stalls, or places that sold cheap accessories and clothing items, obviously positioned to make their money off kids as they made their way into the club. On the right side of the building only one shop stood out, a store with a clearly more adult-themed with blackened windows to hide the merchandise. It was set aside form the rest of the mall, with no storefront on either side of it, just an elevator tucked in corner with a man in a black suit standing out front. 

That must be the elevator Ann had mentioned. With steeled resolved, Goro approached the man standing in front. 

“Stop there, kid,” the man held up his hand, “No kids beyond this point. If you’re here to dance at Zodiac, it doesn’t open until this afternoon when school lets out.” 

“I’m not here to dance,” Goro shook his head. 

“I should hope not, in that outfit.” 

The teen narrowed his eyes at the insult, but didn’t respond beyond that, “Is this the access to the VIP Club upstairs? I’m looking for the manager. A Miss Miho?” 

The man tilted his head looking Goro over with scrutiny, “And who are you?” 

“My name is Akechi, Goro. I’m a detective from Tokyo’s Special Investigations Unit. I need to speak with her.” 

“You? A detective?” The man shook his head, “I’ve heard better lies out of my dog. Run back to school, kid. I don’t have time for this.” 

“I’m not lying,” he pulled out his identification and showed it the man, “I need to speak with her. Is she in?” 

“Look, even if she was in, I’m not going to let a kid like you upstairs! So, scram!” 

“So then bring her downstairs, I don’t mind the wait.” He wasn’t budging. He’d already been steamrolled twice today, it was not going to happen a third time. But the guard appeared to be as stubborn as he was. 

“Look, you little shit, if you don’t get out of here right now, the only thing I’m going to call for is more security to help me throw you out in the trash.” 

“Fine!” He grinned at the man wide-eyed and equally annoyed. “Call them. I’ll make sure all of you are arrested for assaulting an officer of the law.” 

The man reached forward suddenly and grabbed Goro by the base of his tie. Just as he was pulling him forward the sound of a woman’s voice filled the hall. 

“Ah-ah!” The two looked back down the hall to see two more men in suits approaching, both of them flanking a woman in a sleek golden yellow cocktail dress, wearing red lipstick and amber eyeshadow. Her dark brown hair was pulled up into a bun on the back of her head, she carried a red book in her hands and wore a bright yellow scarf tied off into a bow over her shoulder. “What is this here?” In between her sentences the heels of her shoes clacked and echoed down the hall towards them. 

“You are Miss Miho, I presume?” Goro spoke up before the guard could react. 

“I am,” she answered him with her eyebrows raised, “And you, little boy, are the kid detective running around Sumaru City.” 

“You know him, Ma’am?” The guard looked confused. 

“I do- put him down.” She raised her hand to the man and he did as he was told. “What do you want?” 

“I want to talk to you about your club,” Goro’s eyes flickered down for a moment, scanning the book in her hands. He could just make out the edges of the butterfly peeking out from around her wrist. “And your involvement with Dr. Sawada.” 

“Ah-hahaha!” She put her fingers to her lips. “No.” 

“No?” Goro frowned. “If you’re going to refuse questioning, then I can take you into the station and we can proceed there.” 

“No,” she said again, this time tilting her head to the side. 

He pressed his lips together, she was just as difficult as her partner. Perhaps a bit more so. At least Dr. Sawada pretended to be _cooperative_. “I don’t think Chief Shimazu would be pleased to know that you’re not assisting me, Miss Miho.” 

The woman’s guards shifted on their feet at his threat. It was empty, but all he had. Pressuring her into thinking he could pull strings to get her trouble was all he could think of short of arresting her. But Goro doubted that would go smoothly with her three goons surrounding him. 

“Ah, and now the dog starts bearing its teeth… I wonder if you’re all bark and no bite.” Miho took a step forward and reached out to grab Goro’s tie, pulling it free of his coat and twisting it around in the air. “But here is your mistake, my young _detective_ , you think I’m scared of Shimazu? You think I’m _scared_ of your dear Prosecutor? I worked hard, harder than any of you to get this position… You’re here to do _one thing_ and that doesn’t involve me.” 

She yanked on the tie and pulled Goro closer before sneering at him, “So clean up the murders. And get out of _my_ city. I’m not as picky as the others, I don’t care if you arrest Suou or Sudou or half the damn town, but you can tell the silver haired bitch holding your chain that _I_ am not playing her game.” She pushed Goro back and to the side causing him to stumble. 

“Now leave here, will you? If you’ve got a thing for that four-eyed brat of Suou’s, then arrest Sudou, but don’t come around here trying to take me down.” Miho motioned to her man at elevator with a wave of her hand and he pressed the button. Once the doors opened, she stepped inside with her two guards and disappeared. 

Goro watched her leave before straightening his appearance. “’Silver haired bitch’ …Sae-san?” He glanced at the guard who was watching him mutter to himself. 

He wasn’t going to get into the VIP Club through the front door, that was for sure. But his brief interaction with the manager left him more curious than ever. If anything, she fed into his fear that something had been said between Sae and Chief Shimazu that made the criminals in this case think he was on their side. Or at least part of the same organization. Could Sae have done that intentionally? 

But that would mean that she knew what was going on here all along. 

Goro turned away from the elevator and started to leave the mall. 

“It’s my job to clean up the murders? The Chief said something similar… But Miss Miho seems to care less about who takes the fall as long as she’s left alone.” He stopped outside the mall’s front doors and considered her words. “The woman outright told me to arrest Sudou. Not that I had any doubts but… If she’s in league with him, wouldn’t she be concerned he’d turn her in? Unless she and Sawada don’t think he’ll talk. Or don’t think he’ll get the chance to.” 

Goro was going to need a place to think this over. Plus, he still had the data from the broken camera to review. It looked like for now he’d have to head over to the Hideout to come up with a new plan of attack for getting info on what Miho was up to in Club Zodiac.  
  


 

Upon arriving at the Hideout, the first thing Goro saw was Morgana stalking his way through the grass chasing down bugs. “Where there’s Morgana there’s Akira,” he sighed and approached the door. He pulled it back and, sure enough, inside was the center of this mystery, scribbling through a notebook with an open textbook before him. He lifted his head and nodded to the detective. 

“Hey. Wasn’t expecting you here.” 

“That’s my line,” Goro set down his briefcase and came to stand next to Akira. At least it looked like he was actually doing school work. “What are you doing here?” 

“Isn’t it obvious?” Akira turned the page of his notebook. “Dad dropped me off expecting I’d stay put without my bike.” 

“You’re unbelievable,” he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “How are you feeling at least?” 

“Pretty good. Pops basically made me stay up half the night drinking water to balance out my system. Him and Dad debated on taking me to the hospital… But in the end they just opted to watch me.” 

“For the best really,” Goro turned his attention to the map. “If Sawada-san has ties at Morimoto, he more than likely can get to you in the emergency room as well. Unless it’s absolutely dire, I wouldn’t have taken you either.” 

“Dad did ask about you,” Akira stopped writing and looked up at Goro. “But just the usual cop questions: Who’s idea was it? Why was I with you? What were we doing? And so on…” 

“What did you tell him?” 

“It was a date,” Akira grinned but his response just made the older teen sigh. 

“You’re going to get me killed.” Goro took a seat and let his left elbow rest on the table before putting his chin in his palm. “Well at least you’re back up to proper health. Do me a favor, don’t do anything stupid like that again.” 

“Dad already said if I’m going to be careless with my meds, they’re going to start monitoring how I take them.” Akira shuddered. “But enough about me,” he pushed his glasses up his nose, “Why are you here?” 

“I came here to regroup my thoughts… I couldn’t get into Club Zodiac. Not through the front door anyway. But It is certainly worth investigating. I just need to find out how…” 

The two sat in silence for a moment before Akira chimed in with a suggest. “We could poke our heads around Yumezaki and ask about the club.” 

“We?” 

“Yeah! You and me…” Akira turned his attention to the map as he got out of the chair. “Zodiac is here, so the other business owners around it are bound to have heard something. Shopkeepers love to gossip!” 

“I’m still waiting on why you think that the _both_ of us should go. You already had a problem once before.” 

“This is different, we’re just walking around town,” Akira turned his back to the map and crossed his arms. “Besides, Ace, how are you going to cover the entire district, on foot, by yourself, before the day is over?” 

Goro leaned back in his seat staring at Akira. What were the chances something about this went horribly wrong? Probably plenty… But its not like they were going someplace secluded, though that could also backfire as soon as someone reported them to Tatsuya. Still, he had to have evidence for that man before their next conversation anyway… 

“Fine, but if you even so much as _think_ you are having an issue, speak up. Don’t let it overwhelm you like last time.” 

“No problem,” Akira smirked at him. His instincts told Goro Akira was lying, but what could he do about it?  
  


  


Honestly, Goro wasn’t really sure that Akira’s plan to ask around Yumezaki was a worthwhile idea. Just because the local teenagers were bored enough to make up rumors about shopkeepers didn’t mean that anything worth knowing was being said about Club Zodiac or Miss Miho. 

He did admit, however, that sweeping the area was going pretty fast. He took one side of a street, and Akira the other, and the two made their way down the blocks meeting up at the intersections to discuss what they had found out. 

Of course, every time Goro was out on the street, he kept looking around for any unusual black cars or any patrol cars from the Konan Police Department. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to see them out together questioning the residents. The boys asked up and down the surrounding shopping areas, taking a break outside the entrance to Yumezaki Center, an outdoor shopping district not far from Club Zodiac. 

Outside the strip mall, Goro couldn’t help but feel wary of a black car parked out front. He’d walked by it on his way to join Akira, and though it didn’t appear to have anyone inside, seeing it didn’t make him comfortable or want to stay out in the open. Thankfully there was a Big Bang Burger within the shopping district they could hide out in and discuss their findings. 

The brunette took a seat far from the window, but in a chair where he could still watch the street. He didn’t even move his head to thank Akira for his food when the other boy slid a tray in front of him and sat down. He set his bag down next to him, but Morgana was much less fussy than the last time Goro saw him in a restaurant.  
  
He supposed the cat had no love for burgers. 

“Since I paid, this counts as a date,” Akira took his seat and started unwrapping his meal. 

Goro glanced at him, his lips turned down in annoyance. “Let’s just focus on what we found out about Club Zodiac’s VIP room…” He started with his fries, munching on a few between sentences. “Apparently you need a members’ card to get in. Though I’m not sure where you can get one.” 

“Seems like you have to be twenty or up to buy one… And I think everyone who goes in is a guy? OR its mostly guys. The clerks at Giga Macho all said anyone who comes in talking about it are dudes,” Akira took another bite of his burger. 

“But no one knows _what_ is offered up there. All the members are tight lipped about what the appeal is.” 

“Secrecy generates curiosity. People pay to get in since they don’t know what their getting…” 

Goro watched the street and hummed. Outside, a random woman got into the parked black car and departed. So the black car wasn’t anything of note. “The woman that runs the Bikini Line spa in the strip said Miho’s been in there before for treatments. Apparently blows a ton of money on pampering herself,but never talks about work…” 

“Maybe we can find a member and convince him to lend us his card.” Akira reached over and took a fry from Goro, despite not yet eating any of his own. “Or, I could get his wallet. Then you’d have a card to get into the VIP room.” 

“We are not stealing from someone to get into the Club,” Goro swatted at Akira’s hand as he tried to take another fry. 

“Excuse me,” the boys stopped eating when a female voice spoke up from behind Akira. The black-haired teen turned around in his seat and Goro leaned forward to see a woman with short, lilac dyed hair, light green eyes and a broad smile. She wore a green button-down pea coat and dangling earrings shaped like feathers. She was turned around completely in her seat, staring at Akira with a gleefully devious twinkle in her eyes. “Suou, Akira, I know I’m not hearing you talking about sneaking into that _sleazy_ VIP room over Zodiac.” The woman lifted her finger and waved it back and forth. “Just what would Aunt Maya say? Oh! I know! ‘I’m going to whoop that boy’s ass!’ That’s what she’ll say!” The woman started laughing.

 “Chikarin-san!” Akira dropped his burger and turned around in his seat to face her. “No, no, no, you do not have to tell Aunt Sis about this.” 

“Really?” she responded with a toothy grin. “Now I just want to tell her even more.” 

“Akira,” Goro spoke up, drawing their attention back to him, “Who is this?” Clearly, they knew each other, which wasn’t good for Goro’s plan to hide his interactions with Akira. But he’d never seen the woman before. He at least wanted to know who was going to be ratting him out. 

“Oh, so sorry!” The woman got to her feet and came around to sit in Akira’s booth. “I’m Ueda, Chika, reporter for _Coolest_ _Magazine_. I run the Rumor Mill Articles.” 

“Ah, you work with Amano-san. No wonder you know Akira.” 

“That’s right!” She said enthusiastically. “And you’re Tokyo teen celebrity Akechi, Goro. Detective, prodigy, heartthrob, I could go on-” 

“Please don’t,” Goro cleared his throat. “We would appreciate it Ueda-san if perhaps you didn’t mention running into us today. Not to Amano-san or anyone else for that matter.” 

“Hmn,” the woman rubbed her chin, “I don’t think I can do that, see Tatsuya already put out the APB that if Akira’s not in school or if we see him hanging around with that, and I quote, ‘mop-top kid from Tokyo,’ call him immediately.” 

“Mop top?” Goro raised his eyebrows and Akira laughed. 

“And this situation definitely falls under both those categories. Not to mention all this talk of that den of degeneracy at Club Zodiac. I don’t think I can turn a blind eye…” She crossed her arms and continued to smile. 

Akira put a hand on her shoulder, “Please, Chikarin-san! I’m asking you, as a favor! Can’t you just pretend you didn’t see me. Goro’s only in town for so long- I’m only going to get so many dates out of him.” 

“T-that is not what we’re here for, Akira,” the detective grumbled. 

“Plus I promise, I’m not trying to get into the VIP Club. Goro is. For his job! I’m just here to treat him to lunch! Can’t we talk about our day over lunch? Like a regular couple?” 

“Hmn,” The woman looked back and forth between the boys, “I suppose you can.” She turned her head to the side an pressed her lips together before snapping back at Akira. “Fine. Today, Akira, I will keep your dirty laundry under wraps.” 

“Thank you,” he breathed a sigh of relief. 

“Chikarin-san, do you mind if I ask you a question?” Goro chimed in. “You seemed to be using some, pretty colorful language about the VIP room. Do you know something about it?” 

“I don’t know, do I?” She turned to Goro and shrugged. “I’m a reporter. I know lots of things about Sumaru City.” 

“Can you tell me what you know about the VIP room?” 

“That depends, what’s in it for me?” She leaned forward letting her arms rest on the table. “I’m already letting you too off the hook for free, I can’t give up information for free too.” 

“Fine,” Goro sighed, “How much does information cost?” 

“Hmnn… fifty thousand yen.” 

Akira choked. Goro shook his head, “I see. That’s a bit more than I have on me at the moment.” 

“I am willing to do an exchange,” she pointed at Goro, “I heard from Maya that you agreed to do an interview for _Coolest_ , has she assigned you a reporter yet?” 

“Ah, no she hasn’t.” 

“Then I want the interview,” Chika’s grin widened. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know about the VIP room, in exchange for your word that when you come to _Coolest_ , I get to be the one to interview you.” 

“That’s all?” Goro shrugged. 

“That’s all!” The lilac haired woman shook her head, “You’re popular, kid! _Coolest_ is distributed primarily online. Success is determined by clicks to individual articles. Why do you think I run a rumor mill? Gossip is a hot item, but a teen celebrity on the top of his game is far, far more popular than any rumor! Your face equals clicks, clicks means more traffic, more traffic means more ads are viewed, more ads on my articles generating revenue which means _I_ get to be Maya’s favorite for the month.” She paused in rant to sigh dreamily, “I’ll probably even get the front page of site- That’s worth way more than whatever you two have in your wallets.” 

Goro nodded, “Fine then, Chikarin-san. I agree to let you conduct my interview for _Coolest_. So what do you know?” 

The woman held up her finger and fished out her phone from her jacket. She tapped a button on the screen and then tapped it again. From the speaker came Goro’s voice, repeating back that he’d let Chika conduct his interview for the magazine. 

“Alright! Now I can tell you.” 

“Chikarin-san,” Akira crossed his arms watching her, “Did you come over here _intentionally_ just for that?” 

She turned to Akira and grinned, “Hey, I’m not the Darkside of Sumaru City’s number one rumormonger for nothing. Every opportunity I happen upon, I seize. Information is valuable! Besides, Akira, it’s your fault for coming into _my_ hang out.” She motioned around the restaurant, “I’ve been hanging out here since I was a freshman at Sevens, back when it was Peace Burger. Just cause some corporate shill bought it out doesn’t mean I’m going to move. Plus, the burgers are cheap.” 

Goro cleared his throat, bringing the reporters attention back to him, “So, now that you have my word, and have it recorded- the VIP room?” 

“A bit impatient, isn’t he?” She jerked her thumb at Goro while glancing at Akira. “But, anyway, pay close attention. I’m only going to go over this once, got it?” 

Goro dug out his notepad and nodded to her, “I’m ready to hear it.” 

“I mean it when I say that place is _sleazy._ The top floor of Club Zodiac has a shady history. Even when I was in high school, it was a known the secret upper floors were used for gambling and run by a Taiwanese Mafioso. It got shut down my freshman year at Sevens, and from then on, the Club traded hands between owners. No one was ever really able to put it back together until Miho showed up.” 

“Zodiac just became popular again my freshman year,” Akira added. “Is that when she took over?” 

“You nailed it!” Chikarin reached over and took Akira’s fries. She started eating as she spoke, “She bought the place, the entire strip mall, really. And sources say she’s able to keep it going because she’s like the last big owners: tied to the mob. She came here from Tokyo, like you, Akechi-kun. Her loan for buying Zodiac and buying out all the shops came from Palace Bank, a place in Shibuya.” 

“Ah,” Goro stopped writing, “I actually know that location. It’s been looked at before for some questionable loans and investments.” 

“Oh I’m _sure._  Considering Miho’s VIP room is a Host Club stocked with runaways and girls shipped in to pay back debts to some yakuza group.” 

“Are you serious?” Akira shouted at her, a few patrons turned to look at them and he put his hand over his mouth. 

“You think I’m lying? Please, Akira,” Chikarin finished off his fries and moved on to Goro’s, “I’m a professional. All my sources are never wrong. Hell, your dad is one of them.” She reached out and grabbed Akira’s drink to wash down the fries. “The first victims of this murder mystery were tied to the place. Higashi was a member of the club. And the girl, Okibo, was a runaway.” 

“That- that actually matches up to what Serizawa-san said about the girl…” Goro stopped writing. “Do you know anything about the mobster that sends these girls here? Or why?” 

“Why does the mob do anything? For money. To enrich themselves. They don’t care who they use to get it.” 

Goro tapped his pen to the pad, “None of this was in the report Suou-san gave me.” 

“You think Chief Shimazu’s going to let this go down on the books? It’s been posted on Darkside that he goes in and out of the VIP room.” 

“Great,” Akira rolled his eyes. “So he’s known all along the source of at least one of the murders?” 

“I’d wager more than that…” Goro shook his head. “Chikarin-san, one last question: Do you know the name of Miss Miho’s boss? Who sent her here to run the club?” 

The reporter set down Akira’s drink, now empty and shook her head. “No one knows her boss’ name. Just a code name tossed around here and there: Bael.” 

“Bael?” Goro narrowed his eyes at her. “Another crazy term like Leviathan?” 

“Leviathan?” Chikarin shook her head, “Never heard that one.” She tapped her chin, “I’ll have to ask on the board about it.” The woman stood up “But that’s all I have for you boys.” 

She pointed at Akira, “You’d better not go up there, or I really will have your aunt kick your ass, boy. She can do it.” 

“Trust me, I know…” Akira twisted his hair around his fingers. “Thanks, Chikarin-san.” 

“No problem, boys,” she snatched up Goro’s untouched burger before leaving, “And I’m looking forward to our interview, Akechi-kun.” With that, she left, exiting the restaurant. 

Akira looked down at their now empty trays and sighed. “Well, it’s better than her telling Dad I guess…”

  
  
  


The boys left Big Bang Burger, Goro with his head down plugging the new information about Club Zodiac into the timeline on his phone. Akira insisted he was still hungry since Chikarin ate half their lunch and wanted to make a stop before heading back to the Hideout. 

He took Goro to Satomi Tadashi, a little drug store chain local to the area. The first thing Goro noticed about it was that the music playing the speakers was annoying, and quickly getting stuck in his head. 

“I’m just going to grab a few snacks okay?” the black-haired teen walked away from him to comb the aisles for something to eat. Goro slowly paced around the store, not really paying attention to Akira as he moved through the shelves. 

“Akira, where did you hear that term anyway, Leviathan?” 

“Um,” Akira stopped on the aisle across from the detective looking at him from over the shelf. “I don’t remember.” 

“…Are you telling me the truth?” The brunette tilted his head to the side. He and Akira held each other’s gaze for nearly a minute before the other teenager turned his head and grabbed something off the shelf. 

“Hey they’re selling copies of that mystery we read together,” Akira held up the book. 

“You didn’t answer me.” 

“Hmn,” Akira thumbed through the book, “You’ll be gone by the time the second one comes out.” 

Goro shook his head, “I don’t think I want the second one.” 

“Why not?” 

“You guessed the killer on whim. I’m not really interested in books that aren’t challenging…” 

Akira frowned, “I think you’re looking at it wrong. It’s not that it’s not challenging. It’s just that my detective instincts are better than yours.” 

“Well, that’s wrong.” The older boy rolled his eyes. “So, are you going to answer me or not?” 

“Not,” Akira said as he came around the aisle, nothing in his hands. “Anyway, let’s head back to the Hideout.” 

“Alri-” Goro stopped and looked him over, “I thought you were hungry.” 

“I am.” 

“Where is your food?” Goro eyed him, he had nothing in his hands. And now his bag was zipped up. 

“I’ve…. got it? Let’s go.” Akira started walking past him and Goro shot his hand out to grab Akira’s arm and pull him back. “Go. Pay. Now.” Akira sighed, but turned and started walking towards the checkout counter, the detective right behind him. “I cannot believe you thought I was going to let you walk out of here without paying.” 

“What? I always get my snacks from here. It’s the best place to get poker supplies.” 

“Unbelievable,” Goro shook his head as he watched Akira open up his bag and started putting some snacks on the counter, along with a drink, and the book. 

“I ought to make you pay for this,” he grumbled. 

“Fine I will,” Goro pulled out his wallet, still scolding Akira. He had to pull out the two butterfly cards and held them in one hand as he pulled his card free to pay for the food. The man ringing them up didn’t seem to be paying their argument any mind, but he was eyeing Goro.  
  
After the last item he questioned him, “What prescription are you picking up today?” 

“Huh?” Goro shook his head, “I don’t have a prescription here.” 

“You have a card, I just assumed you were picking up?” 

“A card,” he glanced down at the laminated butterfly card in his hand. “You mean this? Right! Well I- I don’t think I need it right now. I still have some left.” 

“You should get some anyway,” Akira shrugged. “Better safe than sorry. What if you forget to come back?” the other boy joined in. 

The cashier looked back and forth between the two of them, waiting, “Okay, so what are you getting?” 

“Uh, I’m getting… Avlianiv? I can never pronounce it.” The brunette shrugged, “You know these medicine names, they all sound the same.” 

“Right,” the man nodded, “It’s pronounced Idealian. Wait here.” The two watched as the man walked into the back of the store. 

Akira turned to Goro with a shocked expression and muttered, “What are we doing?” 

“I don’t know. But whatever he gives us, this is perfect,” He looked down at the card, “It must be used as a sign, a signal that you’re here for something different. Those drugs Dr. Sawada is using aren’t on the market.” 

“So is this guy in on it? Is he a Shadow?” 

“He’s probably just on the take, otherwise why would he give them to- oh!” Goro stopped talking as the man returned and placed an unmarked bottle on the counter. He then asked for Goro’s card. The detective handed it over but kept the second one. 

Once everything was paid for, the two left the little drug store in a hurry, ignoring the patrol car parked across the street.

 

 

 

Back at the Hideout, Goro set the unmarked container of pills down on the table and immediately went over to his map to start marking off points. He circled every Satomi Tadashi location within the city, and wrote down the relevant visitors of Club Zodiac’s VIP room. 

“So, what’s the plan?” Akira watched him working tirelessly. He picked up the bottle of pills and rolled it around on his hand. Morgana jumped up onto the table to watch him, watching the pills slide back and forth. 

“The plan is that I have to get into the VIP room,” he turned back to Akira and plucked the bottle from his hands. “This medication _is_ the mystery. If I can find out why Sawada-san is making it, why he’s testing it on you on everyone, I can close this case.” He walked around the table and picked up his briefcase. Upon setting it down on the table he pulled out his laptop and the broken camera parts. 

“I’d been trying to understand the madness of these Shadows, but its all rooted in this. Every victim comes back to that doctor, comes back to these pills. I thought, briefly, that this was tied to Sudou’s madness, but if these cards were used to get drugs, and two of the victims had them-” 

“But why kill them?” Akira got up and moved so he was next to the detective, he watched as the other teenager tested to see if the cameras video display would still work. When it proved too shattered to play, he took out the memory card and inserted it into his computer. 

“Perhaps they were going to die anyway? Or at least in the case of Okibo, if she really was a kidnapped girl, maybe she was going to go to the police. Expose Miho’s operation and since she and Sawada are close, she had to go.” 

“And the others you think were just out living their usefulness as test subjects?” Akira leaned forward and let his elbow rest on the table. “So why am I still alive?” 

Goro waited while his computer scanned the memory card, he folded his arms and looked up at the map hanging on the wall. He hadn’t fully explained to Akira the fact that Chief Shimazu and Miss Miho seemed to be implicating Goro was here to solve their problems, not arrest anyone or solve this murder. “Something about Tatsuya,” he shook his head. “They see your father as a nuisance. I think you’re only still alive because it’s not optimal to kill you. Not unless Tatsuya comes too close.” 

“Oh, good,” Akira graced him with the most over enthusiastic sarcastic smile possible. “As long as I’ve still got time on the clock.” 

At the end of his sentence Goro’s laptop chimed, indicating it was ready for them to start viewing the data on the memory card. Akira moved in closer when the detective opened the first file available to them and selected play. 

The video was dated for two weeks ago: 

_On the screen a man stood, wearing the blue mask and ascot of the suspect Goro had confronted at the park. He stood to the side of the medical bed. There was a male student in a Kasugayma uniform lying on it, strapped down around his arms and legs. He was writing down information on a clipboard._

“That,” Akira pointed at the screen, “That’s Takagawa!” 

_“ID-11 Alianiv test report: Test subjects cognitive awareness has reached an all time low. Subjects exposed to a full dose exhibit a state of complacency for up to twelve hours. No reactions to external stimuli such as exposure to heat, or cold; no responses to reflex or pain test. Short term memory becomes unreliable…”_

_The man put his hand on Takagawa’s head. “However, patients still resume daily activities once they come off the drug. Cognitive function returns at a rate of six hours once it leaves the system. We will begin testing of ID-12 for Alianiv and ID-11 Keetonin next week. Results should yield the desired lasting effect.”_

_Off-camera, the sound of door opening could be heard. The video stopped._

Akira grabbed Goro’s shoulder, shaking him, “That was that rat Takagawa! You saw that, right?” 

“Yes, yes I saw the same video as you!” He shook him off. Though he somewhat understood Akira’s concern that a fellow student was being tested, Goro was more interested in what the masked figure had said about the medication. “Lowered awareness… That’s just like patients in the activity room…” 

“Start the next one,” Akira reached over, “See what he did to Takagawa!” He started the next video before Goro could think to ask him to stop. Unfortunately, the next file seemed damaged, the image was skipping, and the first few sentences came out jumbled before the video started to run smoothly. 

_On the table was an unknown woman, strapped down the same as Takagawa, but she wasn’t lying still. She was thrashing, angrily screaming nonsense at the man in the blue mask and the woman in the purple mask standing over her._

_“This is the final result?” The woman spoke, her words sounded heavy. She folded her arms, “Kegare truly is a terrible thing.”_

_“If she wasn’t held down she’d mostly likely try to rip your hair out. You really angered her,” The man put his hand on the woman’s forehead. “Keetonin, ID-11 will be what Lady Virgo sends off to Bael for production. The over-stimulation of the senses, hyper fixation on that which causes irritants, overwhelming the senses with a flood of adrenaline and lowering serotonin, coupled with the hallucinogens, Kegare will send anyone who is overexposed into a chaotic rampage.”_

_He pulled back his hand and motioned over the woman’s body, “And it won’t happen quickly. Unlike Idelian, we’ve designed Kegare to build up over time, the addictiveness of the hallucinations will keep users coming back until they snap.”_

_The woman ran her fingers through her long black hair, “And if you take them together?”_

_“It’d kill you, of course. Not that anyone taking either one will live for too long. Regardless, this means we’re in the final stages of production. It’s time to leave this awful city behind us.”_

_“What about King Leo?”_

_“Astaroth said the Executives are sending someone to clean up the murder mess. In the meantime, I suggest you leave, unless you want to see what King Leo does to this one.”_

_“I’d rather not.” As the woman moved away from the camera, the man reached up to switch it off again._

“That was someone we’ve never seen before,” Goro started the video again and stopped on the woman’s face. He let out pained sigh, “Are they victims we’re not finding…? And all these names. Code names. They’re smart enough not to go by their real ones on anything recorded…” He turned to look at Akira. This time, he hadn’t demanded they continue forward. Instead, he stared at the screen, lips pressed together anxiously. 

“Akira, are you alright? You’re making a face… Are you having an attack?” 

“No,” he shook his head, “Just thinking.” 

“Are you lying to me?” Goro watched as the other boy reached out to pick up Morgana and pull him closer. 

“Just start another one.” 

Goro nodded, but he kept glancing at Akira as he tried to start a few more of the videos. Unfortunately, most of them came back with errors. Only a few seconds would play before they would cut off. At most, they were able to watch another video of the man in the blue mask and the woman in the yellow one interacting, but there was no audio. 

_The woman was pacing around the empty bed, angrily motioning about. Her body language indicated she was more than likely yelling while the man tried to soothe her concerns. It didn’t appear to be working. Finally, the man walked out of sight from the camera’s view and returned with box._  
  
Inside, he showed her a set of syringes wrapped in plastic to keep them sterile. She picked up one and inspected it, looking at what appeared to be a black fluid inside. There were others, some with clear fluid and others with the same black one. He took a second one for himself and then pointed at the camera. The woman turned and approached it, shutting it off. 

“What were those?” Akira asked. 

Goro shook his head, “I have a feeling we don’t want to find out.” He checked the date of the video. “That one was the most recent at two days ago… I have to take this stuff to Tatsuya.” 

“You have to find Takagawa,” Akira interrupted him. “Call Dad and tell him to find him. He’s in danger!” 

“I’m well aware, but I also need to get this evidence to him.” Goro started to pack up his things. “But I can’t take it to the station, Chief Shimazu may confiscate it.” He hummed, “Tatsuya did warn me at the start to keep the butterfly cards to myself… Maybe I can take it all to that place. So long as that man doesn’t attack me with his stupid coins again.” 

Goro stopped packing up his things and looked over at the map once more and sighed. “Wait here, I’m going to call Tatsuya, and then see if I can get him to meet with me.” Goro pulled out his phone and dialed the senior detective. He turned his back to Akira and walked out of the shrine, leaving the other teenager alone. 

Akira watched him walk out the door, waiting until he heard Goro’s voice speaking hastily to his father before turning to his cat. “So, Mona, which pill do you think I’ve been taking?” The cat’s tail swished back and forth. “Yeah, the crazy hallucinations sounds like what I’ve been getting… I wonder if I’ve been acting violent during those blackouts.” 

Morgana mewed softly and approached Akira to rub his face against his cheek. “I mean, I do think about dying horribly right after I take that stuff…” He reached out to the bottle, causing Morgana to growl slightly. “Shh, shh!” 

Akira turned his head and glanced outside, it looked like Goro was having a time trying to have a calm discussion with Tatsuya. He opened the container and dumped out one pill turning it over in his palm. It was marked with an ‘I’ on both sides. “One is twelve… so half is six, a fourth is three?” He looked at the cat as if expecting an answer. But all he got was an irritated snort. “You’re not even the least bit curious. You’re a cat!” 

Morgana watch him dig his finger nail into the ‘I’ in the middle of the pill and snap it in half. He then put the half between his teeth and bit down, cutting it again before putting the rest back in the bottle. Akira dug a drink out of his bag and put it to his lips just as Goro walked back in. 

“Alright. Your father is going to go to your school and look for Takagawa. He didn’t seemed convinced at first, wondering why I was so adamant about it. But he agreed that first thing tomorrow he’d meet me at that investigator’s office to talk about what I found.” He took a seat next to Akira, “Which means that I can spend tonight getting into Club Zodiac. I wonder if Miho carries that syringe on her. If I could get it, it would prove she’s the woman in the video.” 

Akira shrugged, “How are we going to get you in, though? We don’t have a card.” The moment Goro sat down, Morgana walked over to him and started meowing in his face. 

“Perhaps your friend’s message board will have something. Even Chikarin-san mentioned that Darkside of Sumaru City board. Maybe I should take a look myself.” Goro reached out to pet the cat, thinking it wanted attention, but he moved his head. Instead it kept fussing at him. “What is wrong with your pet?” 

“Mona, calm down will you,” Akira tried to grab his cat, “Goro doesn’t want to play.” 

Frustrated, it struggled out of Akira’s grasp and turned to knock the bottle of pills onto the floor. 

“Hey!” Goro got up grumbling, “That is not a toy, Morgana.” 

“Mona,” Akira corrected him. 

“Whatever-” He bent down to pick up the bottle stopping with a sigh when he saw the lid had snapped off. Carefully he started to pick up the displaced pills, not wanting to lose any evidence and then stopped. One was in half? And a quarter? He stood up and looked back at Akira and his cat. The feline started meowing again the moment Goro made eye contact with it. “Akira.” 

“Joker,” he corrected him again. 

“Your name is going to be ‘DEAD’ if you’re the reason one of these pills is missing a section.” 

Akira paused for a moment before turning Morgana to face him, “What is it with you and betraying me today?” 

“AKIRA!” Goro reached across the table and grabbed him by the arm, “When!? When did you take it!?” 

“Just now,” he pulled his arm free and released the cat to jump down onto the floor. 

“WHY? Why in god’s name would you do that!?” 

Akira shook his head, “I- I had to know- I had to know which one is the one meant for me.” 

“So you just took it blindly!?” Goro pressed his palms over his eyes before letting his hands slide up and back into his hair. “We have to make you throw it up.” 

“What?” Akira watched as Goro moved to stand behind him and then grabbed him by the shoulders, trying to drag him out of his seat. “Get up! You can’t keep it in you!” 

“Hey! Back off! It’s not like I took the full dose!” He elbowed the other boy away. 

“I don’t care! It’s the fact that you took it at all! We don’t know what will happen to you!” 

“That’s why I took it!” Akira finally shoved him off. “I know what happens when I take the other one! It’s probably that ‘Kegare’ shit! But it could be Idelian! Only one way to find out!!” 

“Yes! By testing it in a lab! Not on you! God damn it, Akira!” Goro pointed at him as he opened his mouth, “Don’t correct me! Tatsuya is right! Leaving you alone with medication is dangerous! You’re a sociopath!” 

“That’s not true,” Akira shook his head, “I would never hurt anyone else.” He sat down on the table. 

“Liar! You don’t think what you just did doesn’t hurt others? Doesn’t hurt me?” Akira shrugged at Goro’s shouting. “You could _die_ form that medication, Akira!!” He watched the other teenager shrug again and Goro reached out to grab his shoulders. He stared shaking him angrily, “Why? Why can’t you just keep your word to me!? Yesterday you were falling apart and today you just _take_ a medication without any regard for the risk! Why!?” Goro lowered his head, still hanging onto Akira’s shoulders. 

“Do you really want to die that badly? Maybe you wouldn’t hurt other people, but I find it hard to think you really, really feel about other people’s feelings…” Goro’s fingers curled around Akira’s shoulders, squeezing him, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at the other boy. 

‘Maybe that’s your problem is, it’s not that you can’t figure out your place in the world; it’s that you can’t figure out you’ve already got it.” Akira didn’t respond and Goro felt like he was suffocating. Every second Akira said nothing his chest grew tighter. 

“Come on, you can’t ignore me!” He looked up at Akira, “Say somethin-” Goro stopped, Akira’s head had fallen back and he was looking up at the ceiling. Goro let go of his shoulders and he practically started to fall over. He had to grab him again and pull him forward just to keep him from tumbling off the table head over heels. “H-ey! Are you still conscious?” Goro tilted his head to look him in the face. Akira’s eyes were still open but he wasn’t responding. And his breathing seemed shallow. But he was muttering in response to Goro’s questions. 

He just wasn’t speaking very loudly. Or perhaps he couldn’t. 

“Lowered cognitive ability and function… You know you’re lucky you’re not a vegetable right now.” Goro backed up form the table, pushing the chairs away with his legs until there was a clear enough spot for him to sit on the floor with Akira leaning against his shoulder. “I hope that medicine kills you, by the way. It’s what you deserve.” He grumbled looking around the room. He didn’t care if Akira could hear or understand him or not. 

Morgana approached him cautiously before curling up in his master’s lap. He almost wanted to tell the cat it was his fault for not stopping him. 

As he sat on the floor his phone rang; the detective dug it out to see Tatsuya’s face flash across the screen. And for a second time today, he didn’t want to answer. 

“Suou-san, hello. We’re you able to locate Takagawa-san?” 

“I did, he was at school, perfectly fine.” 

“He was?” Goro tilted his head back. “Well that’s a relief. I still think you should have someone watch him! Or the school, I promise you, he’s a target.” 

“I’ll put Ueda on it… But I have a question for you, Akechi.” 

“Y-yes, Suou-san? Look if it’s about how I know, I’ll show you tomorrow at our meeting. I have more than enough evidence-” 

“It’s not that,” Tatsuya cut him off, “Akira’s not in school. Is he with you?” 

Goro froze. Next to him Akira suddenly muttered something and he was certain that it was loud enough to be heard over the phone. He took a deep breath. He had to tell Tatsuya the truth. Akira was with him. He took a strange medication and now he had no idea what was going on with him. They should probably get him to a hospital. He should probably be monitored. The doctors would more than likely already sight his current mental health issues as a reason to keep him in the hospital for an extended period of time. Or send him off to Morimoto, where Sawada could give him another dose of his mystery drug and just kill him to keep him quiet. 

“No,” Goro shook his head, “I haven’t seen Akira all day.” 

He heard the other man hum in dissatisfaction through the phone, “If he seeks you out, call me. Understand.” 

“Understood.” Goro hung up the phone and sighed. 

“Joker,” he turned to Akira, “You are slowly killing me in your quest to kill yourself.”


	26. Chase,Cage,Capture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me for insanity [here](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)

  
  
  
Akira wasn’t sure when he lost the ability to talk. He could still hear Goro yelling at him. Yelling at him? Maybe crying at him? He could still hear him, but he wasn’t really sure what his tone was. He wasn’t even sure he was still in the Hideout.

At some point, things started to blur. The world, his thoughts, the Shadows. It wasn’t like before, where they crawled over the world and surrounded him, it felt more like they were crawling out of him. Obscuring his vision, his hearing, his senses, making it harder to make sense of things around him.

But he could still hear Goro.

_“I hope that medicine kills you…”_

Was that what the detective was saying or what he was thinking? He probably could die right now, and the strangest thing about that was, that he didn’t feel scared. The Shadows, the darkness, the vulnerability, it wasn’t scary, or overwhelming, or anything.

He felt nothing.

He wasn’t even sure he could feel his own body.

There were no voices hounding him, nothing was trying to kill him, he just existed in nothing.

Nothing.

 

**_I could stay here I could die like this Its rather nice_ **

 

Maybe it would kill him. He had no opinion on it one way or another now. Whatever was happening was happening. Either he was going to die, or live. That information didn’t stir anything inside him.

But it did stir something on him. Something burned. Something was not letting go. He had to move his hand to remove it. Digging through his pockets felt like watching something else search his body. Those were his hands, and his clothes, but he wasn’t in them. He wasn’t moving them.

**_Its hot Its burning my skin I think I don’t feel burnt_ **

Akira’s fingers slid over the silver casing of Tatsuya’s lighter. He pulled it out and by all means it was shut tight, but it was hot. It was glowing hot, shining in his hand. **_It only feels warm_ **

**_Dads lighter Why is this hot_ **

He closed both is hands over it, trying to smother out the warmth, but it felt hotter. And hotter. **_Is it because hes mad that Im dying I don’t care I don’t care Just let me go_ **

Akira pulled back his hands and it seemed brighter. Blinding. The heat was starting to feel more real. He could feel it on the palms of the hands holding the lighter. **_My hands Im holding it_ ** He tried again to cover it up, but this time it felt painful.

**_It is anger Hes angry God Just let me go_ **

He tried to throw it, hoping to get rid of the feeling. Hoping to going back to feeling nothing. But despite how hard he tossed it, the lighter went nowhere. The light flew from his hands, illuminating the Shadows, the darkness, the expanse that replaced the Hideout and eventually faded away. And before he could relax he felt it in his hands.

**_It burns_ ** Akira looked down at the lighter in his hands. At his red finger tips. At the Shadows shying away from the brilliant light. **_It burns to be alive_ ** He tried again.

And was met with the same punishment. His whole hand was red this time. His fingers were numb from the heat, his face was starting to sweat and the air was becoming unbearable. **_Get lost_ **

One last time he threw it, hoping to never see it again. Akira looked down at his hinds to find they were free. But the damage had been done. They were red. **_Completely burned_ ** And numb. And stung. He clenched his fist, sighing. Breathing was becoming a chore.

**_I was so close Why am I feeling this now_ ** His hands found his way to his chest. It felt like his lungs were on fire. There was a lump under his school uniform. He clawed at it, the source of the oppressive heat. Ripping his uniform open he found the lighter. It was unbearable to look at, how bright it was. Brighter than the sun. **_It wont go away_ **

**_Its brilliant_ ** He felt something, for once, other than the heat coming off the lighter. As overwhelming as it was it was comforting. **_Its mine_ ** All around it, the Shadows were kept at bay, along with the empty feeling of nothing. As long as he had it, his body was his, his feelings were his, his life was his. He felt something.

Akira put his hands over the lighter again and closed his eyes. **_Hes not angry Im not dying_ **

**_Im not dying yet_ **

****_Im not_  
  


“…I’m not dead yet…” Goro slightly jumped at the sound of a voice in his ear. His sudden jerky movement caused Morgana to jump up as well and Ann to laugh. The rest of the Masked Circle turned to look at her baffled while the detective shoved Akira into an upright position.

“Are you awake?” He slightly shook the other teenager and Akira groaned.

“Oh!” Shiho stood up form her seat, “Joker’s come to!”

“Great, now we can beat him unconscious in a fit of anger,” Etsuko punched her fist into her palm.

“Dude, that’s not funny, Specter,” Ryuji admonished her.

“I actually feel inclined to agree with her suggestion,” Goro continued to help Akira wake up.

Eventually the other teen finally seemed able to keep himself upright. Akira rubbed his eyes and looked around confused form where he was still sitting on the floor. “W-what- When did you all get here?”

“An hour ago,” Yuuki answered him. “You were passed out and Ace looked like he swallowed a frog.”

“How long…” Akira turned to Goro.

“About four hours,” he crossed his arms watching Akira slowly stand up and complaining about taking too much medication. “You shouldn’t have taken any at all!” The detective sighed. “Do you at least feel okay?”

Akira nodded, “That stuff… Is weird.”

“Weird how?” Ann asked. Everyone was staring at him.

“I- felt like I was dead. But I didn’t really mind. It was… Kind of nice.”

“Oh well I’m glad _you_ had a good time,” Goro frowned.

“Sorry.”

“Apology not accepted,” Goro huffed. “Anything else about it? You seemed kind of lucid during the entire time. You kept trying to move on your own and failed.”

Akira reached into his pocket and pulled out Tatsuya’s lighter. “This was burning in my pocket.”

“What, like a fire?” Shiho asked.

“No, it was just... hot and bright, and shining. It was comforting… It was the only thing that made me feel something.”

“Really?” Etsuko seemed surprised. “Cause we all took turns shouting in your ears. Ryuji even pulled them.”

“I didn’t feel or hear anything…”

“Oh that’s creepy,” Ann put her hands to her face. “Imagine not being able to tell what other people are doing to you…”

“But you can feel everything now right?” Goro reached out and grabbed Akira shoulder. The other boy nodded, and in turn the detective offered him a simple smile and a nod.

And then swiftly smacked him across the face with his other hand.

“Whoa!” Ryuji got up from his seat.

“Geeze! I was only joking!!” Etsuko put her hands up.

Ann covered her mouth with a gasp and Shiho reached out to grab Ryuji to stop him from launching himself across the room at Goro. Yuuki clenched his teeth together and cringed.

“Ow! OW! You hit me!” Akira backed up rubbing his face. “That hurt!”

“Good!” Goro pointed at him, “You! Are! A! Moron! A horrible mix between a moron and a sociopath! And when all of this is over I am personally recommending you be sent to Morimoto for a proper mental health evaluation!”

“You don’t have to hit me in the face!” Akira held his jaw, moving it back and forth. “I knew what I was doing…”

“Did you!?”

“I knew enough…” Akira watched as Goro took a seat at the table. Everyone was quiet, though Ryuji only looked like he was quiet because he was actually biting his own tongue. Akira took a seat next to Ann, who leaned over and kissed his cheek where Goro’s handprint was becoming more visible by the second.  
  
“Now that Joker’s near death experience is over- we were talking about getting into Club Zodiac,” The detective started talking again, noticeably not looking at Akira.

“R-right,” Yuuki cleared his throat and picked up a tablet he had sitting on his lap. “Um, according to this blueprint of the shopping center and club, there’s staff corridors that should lead up to the VIP room.”

“That’s in line with what kids at school said,” Shiho chimed in. “There’s a door behind the soda bar and one behind the DJ’s stage. Both are always watched and have locks on them. Pretty sure you need a security card.”

“And you’re sure, Chameleon, that that map is accurate?” Goro leaned over to get a look at the screen.

“I got it off the Darkside forums. There’s a contractor who post there. He’s got tons of schematics for recent construction around town.”

Goro pointed at the screen, “Are these marking cameras? The moment I go in those halls they’ll know I’m there.”

“What about, uh, that camera loop program you’ve got, Chameleon? Do you still have it?” Ryuji turned to his friend. It was the first thing he’d said in minutes.

“Yeah, I’ve still got it, actually I think there was an update posted on the Medjed board not long ago,” Yuuki closed down the map and opened his web browser.

“Wait a minute,” Goro put his hand over the more timid boy’s, “Back up, say _all_ of that again.”

“Uh, what part?”

“You have a program to hack into and loop camera feeds?” Goro leaned in closer and Yuuki leaned further away.

“Y-yes…?”

“Why?” the brunette narrowed his eyes.

“I- um, well,” Yuuki turned to look at his friends hoping for salvation.

“We needed to break into Sevens once, and there’s a few cameras on the doors,” Akira answered. Of course he would. Now Goro had to look at him to respond.

“And why did you need to break into Sevens?”

“What’s it matter to you?” Ryuji crossed his arms. “It was years ago, so drop it.”

“It was years ago, but you still held onto an illegal program… Did you make this?”

Yuuki shook his head.

“He got it off some hacker forum,” Shiho began explaining, “We needed help, so Chameleon reached out to some friends of his online.”

“Right, some friends going by Medjed?” Goro narrowed his eyes at him.

“I-it’s just a fan forum! Come on, Ace! L-like I’m hanging out with an actual internationally wanted hacker!” He pulled his tablet away and pulled up the website. “See, it’s just a tech forum, and there’s a subcategory on hacking, and there’s a thread talking about Medjed. See?”

Goro crossed his arms, “Hmn. You still shouldn’t be hanging around with a bunch of idiots that admire people that break the law.”

“You went on a date with Joker…” Etsuko pointed at him.

“It’s true, I have the receipts.” Akira grinned. Goro tilted his head back and sighed.

“Okay,” Ann took over the conversation, “So that program’s still good, right?”

“It could probably use an update…” Yuuki started tapping on his screen. “I’ll check the forum and see what Alibaba’s posted recently in updates. But, I can have the latest version by tonight.”

“Good!” Ann turned to Goro, “So then, tonight, Ace, we can get you into Club Zodiac!”

“Right, we should meet up in the shopping center at least an hour after they open,” Goro nodded.

“Great!” Akira spoke and everyone turned to look at him.

“Not you,” Goro shook his head.

“What! Why!?”

“For starters, I can’t trust you…”

“Also, Joker, isn’t the lady running this place like, out to kill you?” Shiho frowned. “We probably shouldn’t take you.”

“I agree,” Ann nodded, “Its way to dangerous…”

“Sorry, Bro, but for once,” Ryuji scoffed, and stuck out his tongue, “I agree with Ace.”

“Oh, come on, Skull!” Akira reached across the table pleading to him. But Ryuji made the most exaggerated frown possible and turned to look way.

“Don’t make me say it out loud again! I already had to choke it out once!”

“Face it, Cuz!” Etsuko stood up on her chair, “You are here by under house arrest, by the Masked Circle! And I am your warden for the night!”

Akira let his head drop down on the table. “You all suck.”

With the promise of Etsuko watching Akira for the night, Goro felt a little less stressed. He wouldn’t have to worry about Miho trying to kill the other teenager or about what crazy thing Akira would subject him to of his own free will.

He returned to Pleiades and dropped off his suitcase and the evidence he’d gathered thus far. First thing in the morning, he’d meet with Tatsuya and Baofu. He had more than enough physical evidence tying Dr. Sawada to these murders. Or at least to shady medical practices that would eventually lead back to the murders. Going after Miho and Zodiac was just an extra layer. If he could prove she was the woman in the final video, that would shut down the Club, and surly some of the girls there could confirm that the first victim worked and went missing from there.

“Tomorrow, we’ll finally make an arrest in this case.”  


 

He made sure to arrive at the shopping center only a half hour after the Club opened, even though the group agreed to meet an hour afterwards. However, Goro couldn’t shake his habit of punctuality. What surprised him was that he found Ryuji lingering around outside the building, munching on some snacks he more than likely bought form one of the vendors inside.

“Sakamoto, I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be here so early…” Ryuji turned to face him and nearly choked on his food. “Are you alright?”

“Dude!” He cleared his throat with a few more coughs before motioning up and down at Goro, “You may have left the sweater vest at home, but what the hell are you wearing?”

Goro frowned. He was wearing his short sleeve button up shirt, usual black pants, and shoes.

“It’s a club, you social outcast! Don’t you have anything to go dancing in? You know, anything cool, like what I’m wearing?” Ryuji struck a pose, showing off his yellow tee with a graphic depicting graffiti that read ‘hell no’ and his bandana with a skull on it. Goro supposed that was ‘cool,’ but he thought the teens high top yellow and blue sneakers were obnoxious.

“Sorry, I didn’t exactly pack planning to go to a nightclub.”

Ryuji lowered his head and shook it, “Aw man, we are going to get caught immediately. Don’t you know anything about stealth and covert operations? I thought you were a cop!”

“This is usually not the kind of thing I have to do,” he crossed his arms. “Besides it’s not like I’m here to dance.”

“Yeah, but you are here to solve this crime, right? You could at least try.” The blond crossed his arms again and sighed. “Man, I can’t believe Akira put his faith in you.”

“E-excuse me?”

“What?” Ryuji continued to eye Goro with dissatisfaction, “Don’t pretend like that offends you. You don’t even care about Akira.”

“Who says that I don’t?”

“You do!” The other teen shouted so loudly his voice echoed down the street. “You say it constantly!” Ryuji started waving his hands about and spoke in a mocking voice, “’We’re not on a date. He’s not my boyfriend. It’s not like that!’”

“Okay, let’s make one thing clear, just because I don’t _like_ Akira doesn’t mean I don’t _care_ about his safety.”

“All you care about is this case, and making yourself look good. You might not want him to get taken by the killers, but that’s just ‘cause it would ruin your reputation. You don’t actually care if he’s hurt or not!” Ryuji started to raise his voice in frustration.

“Look, Sakamoto, I don’t know where you got this crazy notion that I’m not concerned about Akira’s well bein-”

“You smacked him today!” Ryuji shouted over him.

“He was _being_ an idiot!” Goro raised his voice back.

“So why didn’t you take him to the hospital! He could have died!”

“There is no guarantee that he’s safe at the hospital! Anyone could come in and kill him there while we were all in the waiting room!!”

“Well not tell his Dad what happened!? Huh, what’s your excuse for sleeping on that!?”

Goro opened his mouth ready to retort. But the truth was he didn’t tell Tatsuya because he was looking out for himself in that moment. If he had told Tatsuya the detective wouldn’t have agreed to meet with him later. It would ruin his plans and his chance to solve the case.

The brunette pointed at the blond and scoffed, “I have my reasons.”

Ryuji snorted, “You don’t care. You haven’t given a shit about anything since you got here. That’s why you brushed off Ann when you first met her. She warned you about Sawada at the start, but that wasn’t good enough for you.” Goro looked away from Ryuji, crossing his arms as the other teen spoke. “You didn’t even _want_ to meet us when Akira brought you to dinner. You don’t _want_ other people around. Akira might just think you’re lonely, but I see it for what it really is.”

“Oh,” the detective pulled his arms in tighter against himself. He could feel his lips pressing into a thin line of disgust. “And what is it, really? Tell me, Sakamoto.”

“You think you’re better than all of us.” Ryuji held his head up high. His condescending stance mimicking what he though Goro was really like. “You think you’re smarter, you think you’ve got everyone all figured out. You don’t even like the adults around you! The freaking professionals! You think they’re all idiots too. And Akira- you think he’s an idiot for liking you…”

The blonde sighed and looked away. “And you know what, you’re right. He shouldn’t like you. Cause you’re going to pack up and leave when all this is over and break him even more than he already is.”

Goro didn’t say anything.

“So why don’t you just stop faking, already,” Ryuji turned back to him. “Just admit it, right now, that you want all this to be over. I’ll tell Akira, and then you can go. You don’t have to hang out with us any more or pretend to be enjoying any of this. You can go back to Tokyo, go back to your friendless, job obsessed life and leave us be.”

Goro let his tongue run over his upper lip. He couldn’t think of what to say. Mostly he couldn’t discern what part of Ryuji’s assessment were wrong and what parts were true. He knew that he cared about what happened to Akira. He had to, he was part of the case. He _had_ to. Does he want to?

Akira is miserable. And he’s miserable.

Do two miserable people equate to happiness?

Certainly he had to think there were moments when he was with Akira where he was happy… But there were just as many moments when he was frustrated, and angry, and confused. They were all feelings he couldn’t wait to be free of. Not just from Akira, but the accusations placed upon him by his father, the mysterious expectations placed upon him by Chief Shimazu.

It’s not like any of them could know what kind of stress this heaped upon him. So what if he didn’t want to get to know them, or get to know Akira, or had to fake enjoying being around other people?

That didn’t mean he didn’t care in the end…. Right? He was still doing right by Akira by making sure he got help, and was safe. And he wanted him to live.  
  
He cared. He did.  
  
He _wanted_ to, anyway...

“Boy, you two know where going to a club to have fun, right?” A female voice called out to them and Goro and Ryuji turned to see Ann and Shiho walking up. Yuuki following behind them. The blond and her girlfriend were dressed in matching crop-top sweatshirts, Ann’s being red with the word ‘Fire’ written across it and Shiho’s being blue with the word ‘Smoke’. The blonde had on black fishnet stockings and a black skirt, and red sneakers that matched the color of her shirt. Shiho had traded out the small pink ribbon in her hair for a pink handkerchief wrapped around the base. Like Ann, she wore a black skirt, but had on black leggings instead of fishnets and a pair of pink sneakers.

Behind the two girls, Yuuki stood with his tablet tucked under his arm. He was wearing a dark green sleeveless shirt with an eighties styled neon moon printed on it in blues and purples. He had on a pair of dark blue jeans and green sneakers. On his face, he wore a pair dark blue visor styled shades that covered most of his face.

“Yeah,” Shiho put her hands on her hips, “Try to look like you’re here to have fun! Smile so you blend in!”

“I don’t know how we’re going to blend in when the detective here looks like he’s on his way to church, not a club,” Ryuji jerked his thumb at Goro.

“Hmn,” Ann looked him over. “I do admit, it’s not exactly screaming ‘nightlife’.”

“I guess we should have gone shopping first...” Shiho rubbed the back of her neck.

“Maybe we have time to get him a change of clothes?” Yuuki shrugged, “Who lives closest?”

“How about a clothing delivery!” The group turned their attention to the front doors of the shopping center. Standing in the doorway were Akira and Etsuko, each leaning on opposite side of the door with their arms crossed. The older teen wearing a white shirt with black stars on it, a red handkerchief around his neck, with his bag slung over his shoulder. Etsuko wore a purple sweatshirt over a red dress with black leggings. Her purple hair was pulled up through the hole of a baseball cap on her head, the sweatshirt rolled up to show her arms were covered with bracelets.

“We figured Akira’s nerdy boyfriend wouldn’t have any party clothes, so we decided to meet you all here,” the middle schooler uncrossed her arms and motioned to her cousin.

“Etsuko!” Goro was exhausted, “You’re supposed to keep Akira out of trouble.”

“He is out of trouble!” She pushed off the doorway. “He is coming with me to my band practice! And then spending the night at my house. Uncle Jun approved it.”

Ann looked at Akira, “You _lied_ to Jun-san. That’s so _wrong_.”

“It was only a small lie. I really am going to crash at Etsuko’s after this…” Akira approached Goro and handed him his bag. “Besides, we have to make sure this plan went off without a hitch.”

Goro opened the bag to be greeted by Morgana popping his head out. The cat was sitting on something red and white.

“Are those clothes out your closet, Akira?” The blonde girl leaned over to inspect the bag.

“Yeah,” Akira shrugged, “What about it?”

Ann looked up at Goro, “I’m so sorry.”

He turned to Akira with a frown, “Fine, you gave me some new clothing, now go home.”

“Sure, as soon as you tell me what your plan is to get into the staff corridors.”

“Oh, that’s easy!” Ann snapped her fingers. “First Yuuki’s going to rig the cameras to loop their footage-”

“-I got the new update for the program right when I got home,” he held up his tablet.

“Then we’re going to distract the security guards and steal one of their keys so Goro can get into the back halls.”

“How are you distracting them?” Akira asked her.

“Ryuji’s going to start a fight on the dance floor to force them to come deal with it,” Shiho pointed at the blond male.

“I’ll have to out run them and clear out of the Club, I can’t get in trouble and give my mom a fright…” Ryuji rubbed his nose.

“Ann and I will make sure he gets out.” Shiho gave him a thumbs up. “We’ll be sure to keep the guards from catching you.”

“So who’s stealing the keys for Goro?”

“Oh, well,” Ann looked around, “I mean one of us could, but Goro could always just take them himself during the confusion.”

Akira turned to the detective, “How good are you at picking pockets?”

“I doubt they’ll notice me swiping their keys in the middle of a crowd sized fight.”

“But let’s say they do,” Akira held up a wallet and flipped it open to reveal Goro’s police identification, “You’d probably get in a ton of trouble, Mr. Special Investor.”

“Whoa!” Yuuki pushed up his shades. “When!?”

“Akira…” Ann put her hands on her hips, “You’re getting frighteningly fast at that.”

“Give me that!” Goro reached over and snatched his wallet from Akira. This was falling under one of those frustrating moments.

“Right, so… I’m getting the keys?” Akira smiled at the group. “Come on, let’s get Goro changed and get this mission started.”  
  
  


After Goro got changed he realized why Ann had apologized to him. He honestly felt that he stood out MORE in the clothing Akira had given him than in his usual outfit. The white pants, the stupid giant gold star on the red hoodie, the red sneakers that for whatever ungodly reason came half-way up his legs.

He didn’t wear the hat. In fact he was certain he threw it in the trash in the bathroom because it wasn’t in the bag when he gave it back to Akira and it wasn’t on his head.

He did pull the top of the hoodie up, opting to hide his face from the cameras and guards until he could sneak into the back.

Inside Club Zodiac, the music was playing loud enough to give him a headache. Over the center of the dance floor a large circular projector light turned, casting neon versions of zodiac signs over the room. In the corners, track lights flashed between white, yellow, purple, and blue. Teenagers congregated at tables eating snacks and drinks offered from the concessions bar. And to the back there was a stage where a DJ was playing tracks, behind him the wall was made up of TV screens running various music videos or images of people dancing on the floor.

“It’s so loud in here,” Goro pulled the strings of the hoodie harder, as if pulling it tighter around his head would stop the base from beating against his ear drums.

“I need a table close to whatever door you guys are going to break into,” Yuuki scanned the room. “The software has a certain range I need to be within.”

“Hmn.” Akira looked over the floor. “Then we’ll go for the door near the DJ. There’s a table over there in the corner.” The group followed Akira to take a seat near the wall toward one of the back corners of the club. Yuuki took a seat and pulled out his tablet.

Etsuko stood behind him, watching him work, “Are you sure you can pull this off?”

“It’s fine, I’ve done this before. This program works.” He turned in his seat to stop her from looking over his shoulder.

“Yeah but aren’t your programing skills poor?” The girl moved around to keep watching him.

“I didn’t make this,” he snapped at her, “I just have to use it.”

“Oh right, your online buddies made it…”

Yuuki lifted his shades and turned to Akira, “Make her stop!”

“Relax, she just bothers you cause she has a crush,” Akira waved them off.

“Oh. My. God.” Etsuko stuck out her tongue and bit it, “You’re dead to me, Akira. You’d better hope the Shadows get you, cause I’m going to murder you.”

“Can we please focus?” Goro smacked a hand on the table. “How long is this going to take, Mishima?”

“About five minutes to get in, and then I need to make a stable loop. That will depend on how busy the hall is. A nice empty scene will work faster than one with people walking around.”

“Alright, well while he does that, Ann, Shiho, Ryuji, hit the dance floor and blend in.” The trio nodded to Akira and filtered out onto the dance floor. The black haired teen took a seat and scanned the room, his eyes falling on the man standing in front of the door to the back.

“Once I’m through that door,” Goro grabbed his attention when he started talking, “You need to leave. All of you.”

“Isn’t that risky?” Etsuko asked taking a seat herself. “I mean, leaving you here all by yourself…”

“I’m a police officer. I’ll be fine.” He motioned to Etsuko’s cousin. “Akira, however, is one of their intended targets. Not to mention because of his stupid stunt earlier today, his health is questionable. He shouldn’t even be within a mile of this building.”

“Look, my health is fine. That was hours ago.”

“It doesn’t matter!” He crossed his arms. “It was stupid. And you did something stupid with your medication yesterday! Its like every twenty-four hours you have to do something stupid!”

“What? I can’t help it okay…”

“Yes you can! You don’t even try, Akira…” Goro held his hand up, his expression tired. “I don’t even think you know how. You’d rather keep taking risk and pushing your limits until something finally kills rather than just doing it directly.”

“That’s not why I did it.”

“Then why!?”

“To understand!”

“To understand what!?”

“I’ve got it!” Yuuki cut them off. He looked up with a smile, one that quickly faded as he saw the angry expressions on Goro’s and Akira’s faces. He had totally blocked out their entire fight. “Uh, everything okay?”

“We’re fine,” Goro got up. “Let’s get this key.” Akira stood up as well and made his way out onto the floor to find Ryuji. While he was gone, Goro stood in silence. He was fuming with anger and agitation. “As soon I’m through that door, all of you leave, got it?”

“Y-yeah, no worries,” Yuuki nodded.

“We’ll take Akira and clear out,” Etsuko added.

“You’d better.”

On the dance floor the three of them heard someone shout. They watched as a group of boys far from them started yelling at one another, Ryuji’s voice clearly overpowering everyone else’s. It wasn’t long before someone else in the crowd screamed. Soon, they were watching the kids all shuffle about some of them running away from the scuffle, others towards it. The man watching the door ran into the crowd, pushing kids and trying to get to the source of the problem.

They watched him disappear into the mass of bodies and less than a minute later Akira came stumbling out from the group of kids now throwing fist, screaming names and tripping one another.

He ran over to the table and held up the keys, “Ta-da!”

Goro swiped them from his hands, “Great, now get out.”

“You’re welcome,” the thief scoffed.

“I will thank you, when this case is solved.” Goro turned his back to Akira and ran to the door. Once it was unlocked he ducked inside, leaving the other standing with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

  
 

Inside the back hall was empty. But right over head there was a camera staring at Goro’s face. He internally thanked Yuuki before continuing through the hallway to a stairwell. He followed it up to the second floor and opened up into another staff corridor. At the end he could see a set of double doors.

According to the blueprints, that would dump him out in a kitchen. He’d have to start moving fast once someone saw his face. With luck, he could find Miho before her guards grabbed him.

The moment he entered the kitchen the staff working their stopped. He heard someone shout at him that the area was restricted, but he ignored them. Goro scanned the room quickly, spotting the exit doors. He walked toward them with determined pace, slightly moving out of reach of any of the staff he had to walk past.

Goro put his hands on the doors and flung them open walking out briskly into the room before him.

The VIP room was lined with crimson carpet, and adorned with gold accents around the room. Particularly what stood out were the large gold dragon statues lining the walls; they reminded him a lot of Chizuru’s Wang Long statue. The next thing that caught his eyes were the tables, there were several tables around the room where customers, mostly men in business suits, were sitting and drinking, eating, and enjoying the company of their waitresses and hostesses. At one table, a girl had even gotten up on table and was dancing drunkenly with one of the patrons.

A few of them stopped when he entered the room, eyeing him with suspicion. He could hear a few of them muttering asking if that was a kid, not realizing the irony of their statement when Goro could pick out a few girls his age among the hostesses.

The next thing he saw was Miho herself, sitting a long table, lying on a chaise lounge overlooking the room. On the table there was a bottle of wine, a few glasses and vase filled with flowers: amaryllis, lavender, and a small purple flower he couldn’t quite place dotted throughout it. If Akira had been there he could probably name it. The moment their eyes met Goro pulled the hood off his head and marched over to her. The woman visibly sighed and pushed herself to sit up. Sitting in a chair across from her was Sudou. The man had his back to him but as soon as Miho expressed her frustration he turned. The detective couldn’t help but feel a bit repulsed by the sight of him.

She had a few men standing on either sides of her chair that moved to block Goro’s approach.

“Let him through,” Miho was now reaching for the bottle of wine on her table. The woman poured herself and Sudou a glass before speaking to Goro. “Well, I will give you this, you are a determined little pest.” She raised her glass to him.

 

“Miss Miho. Councilman Sudou,” Goro looked back and forth at the two of them. Miho’s guards stood behind him watching. “Glad to know public members of society enjoy such places.”

Sudou scoffed at his remark and picked up his glass.

“He doesn’t enjoy it here, trust me.” Miho spoke,  “Thought I wish he did, might make him a little less hostile.”

“You’ve yet to bring someone in here that holds a candle to true beauty.”

“’True beauty’ is married! You’ll get over him,” She brought her glass to her lips and took a drink before speaking to Goro again, “So, what’s brought you back here, hmn?”

“If you don’t enjoy it here, then why come?” Goro eyed the man with suspicion.

“Just dropping of a bouquet. Is that a crime?” He motioned to the vase of flowers on the table. The design looked familiar.

The teenager looked it over, skimming his thoughts until he found a match, “True beauty? Flowers from Hanakotoba? Why?” He looked back over the room, there was just the one vase. “A small order?”

“Short notice,” was all Sudou said to him.

“Did you come here to discuss flowers, or business, young man?” Miho interrupted them.

“Business…” Goro said as he slowly turned back to face her. “I came to talk to you about Kegare and Idelian.” He put his hands on his hips and stared down at her. It was time once again to pretend he was in on this conspiracy. Hopefully he could convince her to hand over the syringe from the video. “Dr. Sawada’s done with his testing, right? But why all these murders? What went so wrong that attracted the need for a special investigator.”

“Still hung up on the murders?” Miho rolled her eyes, “Nothing went wrong. Kegare and Idealian work as intended…” The woman glanced at Sudou and then pulled out her phone.

The man was glaring at Goro, “What do you need to know about why those people died?” The teenager turned to look at him. The man’s one good eye was fixed on him, wide and devoid of every emotion except disgust. “They were nothing more than _sacrifices_ needed for a great cause.”

“Sacrifices?” Goro took a step closer to him, “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t answer that, Sudou-kun,” Miho raised her phone. “Just ignore him,” On the screen was feed from her security cameras. It displayed the front of the shopping mall, when Akira and company were rushing out the front doors. “You’re little Shadow God is hanging around downstairs. You’ll probably find that more intriguing.”

Sudou did in fact find that more interesting, as the man rose to his feet with a sinister grin. “Ah, Nyralothetp came without being called. Then I’ll take my leave.”

“Hey, wait!” Goro tried to reach out to grab the man as he moved away from the table, but Miho’s guards grabbed his arms and reprimanded him with a quick ‘hands to yourself’. “You’re just going to let him leave?” he shouted, pointing to the blond’s retreating back.

“I already told you, what happens with Suou and Sudou is not my concern. If it’s yours, then you shouldn’t have brought the boy here.”

Miho grinned at Goro as she spoke. Her tone and expression made his stomach churn. He had to hurry up and get out of here.

“Let’s cut to the chase then, Dr. Sawada gave you a new medication. I want it.”

“ _You_ want it?” She scoffed. “I’m not giving you anything! You don’t hold any authority over me!”

“No, but you’re interested in saving your own skin, right?” He took a step towards the table and leaned over it, resting his palms on the surface. “If you don’t want me to make sure you don’t go down for these murders, then you’re going to give it to me!”

“You’re bluffing,” she hissed.

“Am I? It’s easy enough to do. Okibo was one of your girls. Futoshi was a regular here! His wife already suspected him of cheating, and here is where he came to do it. Not to mention the last girl, Chihrio- she’s a big fan of that Wang Long fortune telling and you’ve got giant sized versions of the statues all around your club. Not hard to string you and Chizuru together. I’ll pick you off one by one if I have to.”

“You,” she glared at him, “You little _monster._ ” Miho reached down beside her chair and grabbed her purse. She pulled out the syringe from the video and put it on the table. Goro took it, with a gin.

“See now that wasn’t so hard…”

“You think you can just force your way in here, and throw threats around!” Miho snapped her fingers and the two men behind Goro grabbed his arms. They pulled him back and lifted him just enough off the ground so that his feet didn’t touch. He shouted in alarm but they ignored him. “You think just because you’re Leviathan’s favorite attack dog, none of us are going retaliate. You can have the Kegare. But you can’t keep your life.”

“Hey!” He started kicking his legs. “Put me down!”

“Get rid of him,” Miho returned to a lying position on her chair. “And not so obvious please… Make it look like a traffic accident so I don’t have to hear complaints about how he wound up dead.”

Goro kept screaming at her, and her guards as the men carried him off. He kept trying to swing himself free, even as they carried him back into the staff corridors and out the back door. He demanded that they put him down, but no one was listening. Once they were outside they continued to haul him through the back alley behind the mall, only finally releasing him by throwing him from the alley into a a backstreet used by delivery trucks.

He landed with a thud on his side and rolled over to curse at them. The men just stood watching while he checked his pockets to make sure the syringe was still intact. It was still wrapped in plastic and perfectly sealed.

“At least there’s that. But how do I get to Aki-” He stopped stalking when suddenly headlights flooded his vision. The two guards were still watching him as he squinted and looked down the road. A head of him was the black car, the engine revving as it was taking off, right down the side street toward him “Shit- SHIT!” Goro pushed himself up and rolled to the opposite side of the street, just narrowly missing the car.

He stood up watching it exit out the street, where he could hear the tires squealing as it turned around and started back. He looked across the way at the two guards that had dumped him on the ground before bolting as fast as he could. He could hear them shouting at him, or maybe to the driver what direction he was going.

Goro ran back into the alley, letting his feet carry him as fast as he could. Behind him the headlights filled the narrow path. He could hear the car charging behind him, only being slowed down by the fact that its sides were scraping the buildings on either side of it.

He just narrowly made it out of the alley and to the side, stumbling out of the way of the car as it shot out of the alleyway. Goro turned and started running down the sidewalk. He had no idea what street he was on, or where he was going, but at least the sidewalk had a railing between him and the car.

One that the car was ramming into and pushing into the path every chance it got. But he was a dead man as soon as he hit an intersection. He needed a plan.

Goro slowed down allowing the car to aim itself at the railing again and try to crash into him. As soon as it hit the metal bumper he turned to face the car and launched himself forward onto the hood. He felt his feet slide on the metal as the car backed, tires spinning out. His hands grasped at the end of the hood at the base of the windshield as his body kept sliding around. The driver was now swerving the car trying to shake him off.

And honestly he wasn’t sure what to do next.

In the reflection of the car’s tinted window he could see his panicked expression and a fast approaching telephone pole. Goro let go of the hood and let himself roll off the car to the side. He hit the ground mercilessly and cried out in pain. The car crashed head long into the pole.

He struggled to get up, feeling his left arm and shoulder ache from the impact. The cars back tires started spinning again as the driver tried to back it up. Goro just barely got to his feet when again he found himself blinded by headlights- only this time from a motorcycle.

“S-suou-san?” He looked confused.

“Get on!” The man motioned to him, his expression hidden behind his helmet.

“How did you get here?” Behind Goro, the car pulled itself free from the pole.

“GET! ON!” Goro stumbled forward and nearly feel onto the back of Tatsuya’s bike. Before he was sure he was even fully situated, the detective took off, turning his bike and racing away form the car. It still chased them, but in it’s damaged state it couldn’t keep up.

Tatsuya drove through several streets and back roads until he pulled into an old dark parking garage, the black vehicle long lost.

  


Goro sat on Tatsuya’s bike, holding his left arm. It still hurt. He wondered if he broke something. Tatsuya was looking out  from around the pillars of the garage to make sure they were alone.

“T-thank you, for saving me back there,” Goro watched him.

“Don’t thank me,” he approached Goro taking off his helmet. He looked tired and agitated. “I didn’t save you for your sake.”

“T-that’s fine,” Goro shook his head, “I just-I- We have to go back, for Akira! He’s in danger!”

“What?”

“Sudou, said he was going after him.” He tried to keep his voice steady as he explained, but between the running and being tossed about, it was difficult.

“You took Akira into Miho’s hideout!?”

“N-no, not exactly… Suou-san please, we have to go back!”

The detective pulled out his phone and dialed his son, putting it on speaker. Surprisingly Akira picked up. “Where are you?”

“Dad! Why are you calling me so late?” He sounded confused, but fine.

“Akira, answer me. Where are you right now?”

“I’m at Etsuko’s house! Like I told you and Pops I would be.”

Tatsuya looked at Goro for a moment, his expression read that he did believe a word of what his son was saying. “Put Eikichi on.”

“Uh, sure… Hold on…”

Tatsuya turned off the speaker on his phone and brought it up to his ear. He started speaking to someone on the phone, but Goro could only hear Tatsuya’s side of the conversation.

“Eikichi. Did Akira go out tonight? …That’s all? How long were they gone? ….Right, and when did they get back? They come back alone? …. No I’m not doubting you… Can you, just, make sure he stays in for the rest of the night? Thanks. No, I don’t need to speak to him again. Thanks again.”

Tatsuya hung up the phone and looked at Goro, his lips twisted to one side and eyebrows coming together.

“Akira is safe… So now that just leaves you.” Goro watched him put his phone away and fish out another one form his pocket. The detective noted it was a deep blue color. Tatsuya dialed someone and brought it up to his ear. “Yeah, I’ve got him. I’ll meet you back at base. No, we’ll check it out together… Just give me fifteen minutes to get back.” He hung up the second phone and walked over to Goro. “Give me your hands.”

The teenager paused for a moment, extending his right arm was easy, but the pain in his left made stretching out his hands for Tatsuya bothersome. Even more sore when the other detective slapped a pair of handcuffs on him.

“H-hey! What gives!?”

“I’ll let you go depending upon how your interrogation goes.”

“My what!?”

 

Tatsuya took Goro back to the Baofu’s lair behind the Sumaru City Investigation’s office. He lead the handcuffed teen in through the backdoor and down a metal staircase into a basement filled on one side with computers, monitoring equipment, servers and more hardware than he could name. There was also a long desk with files and papers strewn across it, a map hanging up of the city and several others: Mikage-cho, Tatsumi Port Island, Inaba, Tokyo and one of the country itself. All were marked up with information, colored tacks, and highlighter.

Baofu was sitting at his computer holding a pair of headphones to his ear with one hand and held a cigarette in another.

“Welcome back,” he nodded his head to Tatsuya. “She’s going nuts over the fact our little friend got away.”

Tatsuya scoffed. “They’re a bunch of cannibals. Sit down.” He directed Goro to a chair and pushed him down to sit. The man then searched through his pockets and put his phone on the table, along with the still sealed plastic bag, but now smashed syringe.  
  
Goro visibly deflated at the sight of it.

“Interesting,” Baofu got up and approached the table. He picked up the bag looking at the liquid inside. “What’s this?”

“I don’t know,” Goro answered him. “I took it from Miho.”

“Took it, or was given?” Tatsuya asked back.

“I _made_ her give it to me. It’s why her goons were trying to run me over!”

The two men looked at each other before Baofu spoke up, “I’ll make sure it’s secure and have it sent off to Hyperion.”

“Can I please know what’s going on here?” Goro asked them. He was still handcuffed.

“That’s what we aim to find out,” Tatsuya turned to face him arms crossed. “We were monitoring Lady Virgo, Miho’s, little club when you burst in there. And now she gives you some medical syringe filled with god knows what… So, let’s start hearing it, kid. What _is_ going on?”

Goro sat up straight in his chair, it looked like he was going to have his meeting with Tatsuya early, and not under the best circumstances. “It was my goal tonight to get that syringe. I needed it. To match it to the I saw a woman given in a video I took from the Sudou Estate.”

“The lab that was cleared out today,” Baofu nodded to Tatsuya.

“They cleared it out?” Goro frowned, but he supposed that did make sense considering they knew he’d been there. “I took a camera form the lab. It has on it a man I know is Sawada and two women. One of whom was Miho, he gave her that syringe in that packaging on the camera. The student, Takagawa, was also in the video! It looked like they had been experimenting on him.”

“Speaking of Takagawa, you told me to go check on him earlier today… Well, he never made it home from school.”

“W-what?” Goro looked surprised.

“I had Ueda waiting outside the school to watch for him. He never left. His mother called the station about an hour ago to report he never came home.” Tatsuya glared at him, “Why did you send me to look after him.”

“Because I knew this was going to happen!” Goro started to get up, but the men pushed him back down into the chair. “I wanted to prevent him from being taken! The video was the evidence I had that he was a target!”

“You wanted to prevent him from being taken,” Baofu questioned him, “Or make it look suspicious that Tatsuya would show up at the school asking for the boy, only for him to go missing? Specially when his son and the kid have a history of problems.”

“I-” Goro stuttered, “I am not trying to place suspicion upon you Suou-san!”

“Really?” Tatsuya folded his arms, “Well let’s go through all your actions shall we, starting with today. You send me to look preemptively for a boy who’s about to go missing. You take my son to the location where two of the victims met. Yesterday, you took him to a location we were monitoring- dig up old traumas by bringing him there, and subsequently prompt the suspects to clean it out. You take him to a park where you conveniently locate one of the latest victims, who you both happen to have contact with prior to her disappearance. And you are _not_ trying to put suspicion upon myself or my family?”

Goro raised his hands, pleading, wincing slightly at the pain that ran down his left arm, “I- admit it looks bad, but I promise you… Look, just everything that I have for evidence you can take! I was planning to give it to you anyway! The Syringe, the camera, the cards-” Goro stopped, “The cards! There’s a pharmacy in Yumezaki supplying people with those cards with Dr. Sawada’s medication! Satomi Tadashi!”

“Hmn,” Baofu took a drag of his cigarette, “That bit is new. Worth taking a look into.”

“Please, I’m not here to cause you trouble… I know it looks like, I’m part of whatever their up to, but I’ve just been using that to my advantage. Ever since Chief Shimazu let it slip he thought I was on his side. That’s all. I swear to you, I want the same thing you want.”

The two of them eyed Goro, evaluating what he had said. The silence was broken by the sound of Goro’s phone buzzing on the table. Baofu reached out to grab it looking at the screen.

“It’s your kid,” he tapped the screen a few times, seeming to quickly break down what Goro’s password was before handing it off to Tatsuya. The other man immediately began texting Akira back.

“Y-you need to go find him. Sudou-san was at the Club. Miho showed him that Akira was there and he went after him. He said something about-about Nyral- Nrathel? Nya-”

“It doesn’t matter what he said,” Tatsuya cut him off. “Akira’s at Eikichi’s place, I’m making sure he stays there until dawn when I can pick him up.”

“But you have to go now!”

“No, first we’re going to go to your hotel room and collect the evidence you’ve got before Miho can send someone to clean it up.” Tatsuya turned to Baofu, “There’s been no movement at Pleiades right?”

“Not since Sudou left.”

“Alright,” Tatsuya continued to text on Goro’s phone. It seemed Akira had a lot to say. “Then we’ll head over there and get everything.”

“Great!” Goro again tried to stand but was pushed back into his chair by Baofu.

“Not you. You’re going to stay here.”

“But why!”

“I still don’t trust you yet.” Tatsuya finished with the phone and handed it over to the other man. “You’re word alone isn’t good enough, understand. A lot of your actions are questionable. Even if you’re not here to save Chief Shimazu’s skin, you’re barely here to help me. If anything, you’re just like the rest of them, willing to crush one another on your way to the top.”

“I’m not involved with _them_!” Goro shouted at him growing irritated. “Why won’t you believe me!”

“Right, you’re just conveniently some prodigy genius Tokyo Special Investigations picked up? It doesn’t matter that half your cases have been political matters. Sticking your nose in high profile murders and cover ups, uncovering evidence that leads to some pretty big arrest-”

“I just work on the cases I’m assigned!”

“And all the high profile cases have one thing in common,” Tatsuya held up his finger, “One man benefits from your cases, from the trails Prosecutor Niijima takes to court. A person _you_ attempted to bring a case against and failed before joining SIU. But they picked you up afterward, someone must have been impressed with your skills. Or at least thought if you were that good at uncovering their mistakes they could put you to work covering up their tracks under the ruse of ‘solving’ a few cases.”

Goro hesitated for a moment, he knew _exactly_ which case Tatsuya was talking about. And he had tried, and failed to convince anyone to listen to him. However, he thought all that information was off the books.

“If you know then, that I failed…” Goro leaned forward, “Then how could you think I’m not on your side?”

“You know, at first I did think you were. That maybe you were just a genuinely good kid, mixed up working for people you didn’t realize were scum. But the more we looked into it… I realized it’s an act. Of course any evidence brought against Masayoshi Shido would fail. Any straight cop knows that. And it’s a great cover, trying to bring evidence against him would make anyone turn a blind eye to your actions.”

Tatsuya approached Goro and put one hand on the table as he leaned forward and loomed over the teenager, “But it only takes a second look to realize you weren’t serious about it. After all, what kind of son turns in his own father?”

Goro felt his mouth open and a sound clearly came out. But it wasn’t words. It was far from anything intelligible. His mind was still processing Tatsuya’s accusation, and the realization that the detective had dug far enough into his history and into the bowels of secrecy to find the same parental connection Goro had. And was now using it to accuse him of being on his father’s side.

“I’m not-” he managed to finally stutter out. “I’m not on that miserable man’s side!” Without thinking, he launched himself from the chair to stand up right and get as close to Tatsuya’s face as possible. “I would never! Have never! Done anything for him!”

“If that’s true, then it’s not to your knowledge…” The detective didn’t move. “But you still have to convince me I should trust Shido’s son. And I don’t.”

“I’m done with this,” Baofu spoke up. He looked up form Goro’s phone and waved it in his hands. “We can set it to download while we go get the rest of his stuff.”

“Fine, come on,” Tatsuya reached out to grab Goro’s left arm and he ripped it away. An action he regretted when the pain rippled through his arm. He felt a hand at his back and he was pushed forward. Just under the stairs, the section of the room had been barred off into a crude holding cell with a chair and a futon behind the bars. “You’re going to wait in here.”

Goro frowned turning back to look at Tatsuya, “Look, when I came here I had no idea your family had had a run in with Shido! I’m not here for any sort of revenge! Or to hurt Akira!” Tatsuya ignored him and pushed him into the cell. Only then did he remove the handcuffs and shut the door. “Can you please listen to me for just a minute!?”

He didn’t. Tatsuya turned to Baofu who was plugging Goro’s phone into one of his computers. The two of them started up the stairs still ignoring Goro’s pleas to open the door.

“I have a question,” he could hear Baofu talking to Tatsuya as they left the basement. “Why is he wearing your son’s clothes?”

“I’m trying not to think about it.”

Goro heard the door shut overhead. He pressed his forehead against the bars and looked out over the room. He could see his phone from here, the screen was dark. Akira had stopped texting him. He wondered what Tatsuya had told him…

Well, despite how poorly this night had gone at least he had the reassurance Akira was safe with his family.

  


Akira and his friends came running out of Club Zodiac; Ann lead the charge, pulling Shiho by the hand. Yuuki and Etsuko followed after them and Akira and Ryuji brought up the rear.

“Holy cow!” Yuuki clutched his tablet to his chest. “What a brawl! Ryuji, what did you do!?”

Ryuji chuckled leaning over to rest his hands on his knees while he caught his breath, “I- I asked some guy’s girl- W-what her sign was!”

“Oh, god really?” Ann crossed her arms. “You’re lucky _I_ didn’t punch you!”

“Hands down, the most over used pickup line at Club Zodiac,” Etsuko shook her head.

“Come on!” Ryuji stood up and threw his hands up in the air. “It got the job done, didn’t it?”

“We did achieve the desired result,” Akira looked back at the building. “Let’s just hope Goro gets what he wanted.”

“Bah!” Ryuji shook his head, “Forget him! If he gets caught, it’s on him now!”

“Don’t worry, Akira,” Shiho offered up a bit of comfort. “I’m sure he’ll be fine. I bet he does dangerous stuff all the time.”

“He doesn’t even carry a gun, Shiho.” Ryuji mocked her.

“Not helping,” Akira crossed his arms.

“Hey, it’s uh, probably not a great idea to loiter out here… So…?” Yuuki pointed up and down the street, indicating he was ready to leave.

“Right, right, let’s meet up at the Hideout tomorrow. Thanks for all your help guys,” Akira waved to his friends.

“No problem, Akira! See you tomorrow!” Ann and Shiho left together. Ryuji and Yuuki took off the opposite direction.

Akira and Etsuko had to retrieve his bike and her guitar from where they stashed them. After all she _was_ supposed to be going to a band practice tonight. The teenager set his bag on the back, letting Morgana lounge on top while the two walked back to the Mishina household.

Akira couldn’t help but every now and again look over his shoulder, wondering, hoping that maybe Goro would pop up to let him know he’d made it out in one piece.

   
  
Shortly after the two arrived back at the house his phone rang. He dug it out of his pocket, expecting to see Goro’s name on the screen but frowned when he realized it was just Tatsuya.

“Dad!” He answered the phone doing his best to hide the confusion in his voice, “Why are you calling me so late?”

“Akira, answer me. Where are you right now?” The question sounded more like a demand.

Anxiously, the teen looked around as if he had to confirm Tatsuya wasn’t watching him right now, “I’m at Etsuko’s house! Like I told you and Pops I would be.”

There was a long pause before Tatsuya spoke again, “Put Eikichi on.”

“Uh, sure… Hold on…” Akira looked at his phone and made a face. Just when he thought he was starting to understand Tatsuya. He walked through his cousin’s house calling for his uncle. “Hey! Uncle! Dad’s on my phone! He sounds pretty crabby!”

“So the usual!” Eikichi emerged from his room to take Akira’s phone.

“Tatsuya! What’s wrong, man, Akira forget to bring his homework with him or something?” Akira stood and watched his Uncle talk to his father, hoping to pick up some part of the conversation. “Yeah he went out tonight, Etsuko’s group was having a band practice, she asked if Akira could give her a ride on his bike… Yeah, that’s all, Tatsuya…. I would say they were out for a little over an hour. Did something happe- They got back just now… Of course they came back alone! Tatsuya, what is going on? Do you think I’m lying to you?... Of course I’ll make sure he stays in… Do you want to say goodnight?”

Eikichi pulled the phone from his ear and sighed as he handed it back to Akira, “You’re stressing him out, you know. You’re going to make him into an old man before his time.”

“He’s making _me_ into an old man before my time!” Akira took the phone.

“So how was practice?” Eikichi looked down the hall at his daughter.

“It was great! The girls love my new song!” She opened the door to her room and ducked inside.

From their bedroom her mother called out to her, “No swear words in this one I hope!!”

“THERE ARE NO SWEARS, MOM!”

Eikichi rolled his eyes, “You two better go right to bed. It’s late, got it?”

“No worries, Uncle, goodnight.” Akira followed Etsuko into her room and shut the door. “There are no swears in your new song?”

“They’re in English!” Etsuko threw herself onto the bottom of a bunk bed set in her room. The top was covered with stuffed animals she had given punk makeovers. Akira quickly pushed them down onto the floor to make himself and Morgana comfortable. “Hey! Be careful!”

“Calm down, they’ll bounce back. They’re all stuffed.” Akira climbed up onto the bed and flopped down face first. Morgana jumped up the ladder and joined him, settling down next to his side. He pulled out his phone and stared at the screen. “Still nothing from Goro… I wonder if he made it out.”

“Did you tell him to contact you after he made it out?” his cousin asked.

“No…”

“Then he probably doesn’t know you’re waiting to hear from him idiot! Text him and see if he’s okay! Let him know you’re freaking out.” Etsuko rolled over onto her side. “That way you don’t keep me up all night.”

Akira rolled his eyes, but it was still good advice, he rolled over onto his back and started texting Goro.  
  
 **Akira:** Hey, how did it go? Did you get everything you needed? 

He waited staring at his screen waiting for a response. He felt his chest growing tighter the longer her waited. Finally a response popped up. 

**Goro:** Yes. I got what I came for.

**Akira:** Great! Did you get back to your hotel?

**Goro:** Yes.

Akira took a deep breath and sighed. Well, they all made it out okay. That meant the case would be solved soon right.

**Akira:** Let’s meet at the Hideout tomorrow after you see my Dad. We can celebrate with everyone.

**Goro:** No.

Akira frowned, of course he was going to say no. He started to type up a counter response when Goro responded again.

**Goro:** I don’t need you anymore, Akira. So, no. I’m going to any celebration. We’re not having a party. The case is over. We don’t need to see each other any longer.

 He stared at the screen for a moment, a bit startled.

  **Akira:** Okay, look, Goro, I know you're mad about the pill thing this afternoon, but you promised me we were going to stick together. Just cause the cases is over, that’s over too?

**Goro:** Yes.

**Akira:** What do you mean yes!

He sat up in the bed, now tapping at his screen furiously.

**Akira:** You are not blowing me off in a god damn text! I don’t care how mad you are at me! Do it to my face! We’re meeting tomorrow!

**Goro:** Sorry, Akira, but this is the end. Just focus on keeping yourself safe. Good bye.

 “What the fuck! Hell, no it is not!” Akira shouted at his phone.

“Hey!” Etsuko kicked the bottom of the top bunk, “Don’t do that! Mom will flip out if she hears you cursing in here!”

Akira ignored his cousin, he was furiously sending Goro an angry text, only to receive an error message after he hit send. So, he tried again, and again it was rejected.

“Did that asshole block me?” Akira tried calling him, and the phone did nothing but ring. It wasn’t even rejected, just stuck on an infinite ring. He hung up the call and looked at his phone. “I- I don’t like this…”

Akira turned to Morgana, the cat was sitting up looking at him. His tail swishing back and forth. The teenager swung his feet over the side of the bed and jumped down, startling his younger cousin.

“Whoa! What are you doing?”

Akira held out his arms for his cat to jump down to him, “I’m going out. Something is wrong with Goro.”

“Can’t it wait ‘till morning? My Dad just said we were going to stay in.”

“You’re not going, and Uncle Eikichi isn’t going to know I left.”

“Wow, okay, this is already, like, ten types of bad. Akira, you can’t go out on your own!”

“Goro needs me!”

“Does he really? He’s a cop! He can handle himself!” Etsuko got off her bed. Akira was already making his way over to her window and opening it up. “Son of a bitch, you’re really going aren’t you…?”

“I have to!” He held up his phone and showed her the return messages. “Something is wrong!”

“Then call your Dad! That’s what parents are for! And your parent is a bigger cop than your boyfriend!”

“Dad won’t go, he _hates_ Goro…”

Etsuko shrugged, “I’m pretty sure he was wary of Yusuke the first time you two went out too, but he got over it.”

“Look I’ll call you as soon as I find him, and I’ll be back before dawn, got it?” Akira started climbing out the window. His cousin sighed.

“God, you’d better, I’m not getting trouble over you two idiots.”

  


Akira crawled out Etsuko’s window and snuck around the side of the house to get his bike. With Morgana on the back he rode back to Club Zodiac to search for Goro. As he came up to the shopping center he was surprised to see police cars on the surrounding streets. It looked like parts of the sidewalk had been banged up and there were tire marks all over the road.

“I knew it… Something did go wrong!” Akira circled his bike around, spotting the back alley. It also looked damaged, with metal scraped along the sides of the buildings, a broken rear view mirror on the ground, and more skid marks. He parked his bike, setting it up against the side of the wall and slowly walked through the narrow road. Morgana followed on his heels looking about anxiously. “Goro… Where are you?”

He stopped at the back door of Club Zodiac and tested the knob, it was unlocked. He slowly pushed it open and peeked inside. “No one’s about… Come on.” He motioned for Morgana to follow him as he crept inside. Akira kept his eyes focused up, looking out for cameras. He watched the direction they turned, sliding along the walls under them and tilting them away from himself as he crept through the empty hall and up the staircase.

At the top of the stairs he could hear the voice of a woman shouting angrily.

“I can’t believe you let him get away! How hard is it to run over a child?” Akira head the sound of glass breaking. “Idiots! All of you get out! No one comes back here until that annoying brat is dead! Understand!”

He heard footsteps moving away from him, a fact that relieved him as there was nowhere to hide in the stairwell. He slightly pushed the door open and tried to get a look at the person yelling. But all he saw was more hallway and a light coming from an open door.

“You need to calm down,” another woman’s voice spoke up. Akira could hear a thick accent on her words, it sounded familiar. “All of this yelling won’t get you any results.”

Next to him Morgana’s ears perked up, the cat slowly crept forward through the crack in the door.

“Easy for you to say,” the first woman responded, a bit calmer now. “But I know this game, I’ve played it with Leviathan before! She lets you think you’ve gotten the deck stacked in your favor- and then she throws out a wild card! Here!” There was another crash, another glass broken in anger. “And then everything around you comes toppling down…. Oh, I’ve _watched_ her rise to the top of the Executives. She has that brat clean everyone up that poses a threat, and if we’re not careful, we’re going to be the ones on the chopping block!”

“You are paranoid, Lady Virgo.” The second woman answered her. Akira only noticed Morgana was gone when he saw his cat’s tail flick just within view. He opened the door a bit more to see Morgana approaching the black female with purple eyes he’d seen in the park. She was sitting in the hallway, looking into the open door. The place where the two women were arguing. The female cat turned to greet him, their heads rubbing together.

“Am I? Don’t think just because you got yourself slapped with the title of ‘Queen’, Cancer, you’re immune. The executives cut whomever they feel is drawing too much attention to them. And this whole town is in the spotlight!”

“I never said I was immune, I just think you are far too worried about this… This isn’t about you, or me. It’s about King Leo and Ashtaroth. Let the boy take care of them. They can end up dead, or in jail, it doesn’t matter. The drugs are done, that’s all that anyone cares about.”

Out in the hall, the female cat let out a loud meow at Morgana: a noise not missed by the two women.

“Shiki? What’s wrong girl?”

“…Damn it, Morgana, Morgana!” Akira called to his cat, motioning for him to return. Morgana looked at him at first, then back at the other cat before turning and running back to him, an action that only made Shiki cry out louder.

Akira scooped his cat into his arms and pulled away from the door, letting it fall closed. He turned and hurried down the stairs, carrying his pet.

“You! Are never seeing that murder-owner-having-harlot-feline again!” Akira pat Morgana on the head as he ran back through the downstairs hall. He didn’t care about the cameras this time, he just cared about getting out. Apparently Goro had gotten away, and that was good enough for him.

He reached the back door and flung it open, only for it to stop, grabbed by a gloved hand. The door slowly pulled open the rest of the way to reveal a red turtle neck, a white lion’s mask and a mane of blond hair.

“No,” Akira froze, shaking his head. “No- no!”

As the Lion reached out for him he ducked under his hand and dashed out into the alley. He dropped Morgana, who turned to hiss at the man. Akira stumbled forward and started running without looking back.

He could hear Morgana growling behind him, but he couldn’t see the cat jump and sink its claws into the Lion’s arm. Following with biting and kicking his back legs against his coat. In anger the mad lifted his arm and slammed it, and Morgana against the brick wall until he let go. As soon as he was free, he turned, hurrying after Akira.

The teenager reached the end of the alley and reached for his bike, only to find it gone.

“Come on! Why now!” He turned around, his heart rattling against his chest as the Lion came closer. “Fuck!” He turned and started running, he’d seen cop cars on the other street right? He could get help! He just had to run!

Akira let his feet carry him as fast as he could onto the other street, as soon as he hit it he spun around in place looking for someone, anyone. There was one lone patrol car sitting at the end of the block.

“Hey!” He waved his arms. “Hey! Help! HELP ME!” The car didn’t move. He looked behind him to see the Lion out stretching a hand to grab him and Akira bolted. He’d go to the car then. He continued to scream, hoping to get the officer’s attention.

Akira reached the car and banged on the window. “Come on! Please be in there!” He looked over his shoulder. The figure from his hallucinations was walking towards him at a hurried pace. But seemed confident Akira wasn’t going to out pace him. He grabbed the handle of the door and shook it. “Come on! At least let me hide in here if you aren’t in it! Come on! COME ON!”

Akira pulled back on the handle as hard as he could; as he tilted his head back he felt it give, the door opened and stumbled back. He was about to thank his lucky stars when something struck him.

Something hard, and something metal, from the other side of the door. It connected with the side of his head before he could get a good look at who or what struck with his face and sent him toppling to the ground.

Akira rubbed the side of his head groaning. He couldn’t stay down, he had to get moving.

“H-help!” He tried to force himself to stand only to feel someone grab the back of his neck. He immediately struggled as his head was pulled to one side and felt a prick at his neck. “H-hey! Let go!” He reached back trying to grab the person, his hands uselessly pulling at short hair. And arm wrapped around his neck and he gagged.

Not so much from having his air cut off as much as the fact that the person’s arm smelled of tar and ash.

The prick was pulled back form his neck and he stumbled forward, his knees colliding with the pavement, and the pavement melting away into a black nightmare.

“No- no!” Akira started to crawl forward. It was impossible to stand, the Shadows were grabbing up at his legs pulling him down. They came faster than he could process, blacking out the entire world in an instant. “Stop! Leave me alone!”

He started thrashing his arms, trying to break off the ones that grabbed at his wrist. He pulled his hands up, breaking free. But they were everywhere, and he was nowhere, and there was no light.

**Its not anger**

Light! He did have a light! Akira fumbled his hands into his pockets and pulled out Tatsuya’s lighter. Even closed, it was so bright. He flicked open the lid and let the fire burn.

**Its burning me Its burning them**

He turned around to face the Lion, reaching out for him again. A man completely wrapped in shadows save for his mask and the blood wrapped around his neck and dripping from his hands. “Go away! Don’t touch me!” He waved the lighter between them, refusing to let him near him as he fell back and crawled away.

**Its burning Its burning him its burning everything**

“Someone!” Akira raised his voice. “Someone, help me!” Akira’s back hit something, and a hand reached down to grab his wrist and wrestle the lighter form him. He screamed and lurched forward to bite the unknown figure, but he still dropped Tatsuya’s lighter in the exchange. The other Shadow ripped their arm back and kicked the lighter, sending it and its light skidding out of Akira’s reach.

Immediately Akira tried to chase after it. **Its mine** “Stay away from me!” He crawled along the pavement, but it seemed the lighter was out of reach. **The lights going out** He felt the Shadows grabbing at his legs and his arms slowing him down. He felt something kick at his sides. **I need it I cant let it go I need it** “Just leave me alone already!”

Akira felt another kick roll him over onto his back. He tilted his head back still focusing on the lighter, reaching out for it. “I can’t let it go… I have to stay-!”

**Its burning me Its so bright**

The Lion stood over Akira and raised his foot, bringing it down on his neck to stop him from breathing. Akira tried to force him off but failed. **Its fading** He couldn’t breathe. The Shadows around him were now pouring into his mouth helping the Lion suffocate him. **Im fading**

In the distance, he could faintly hear the sound of a cat crying. Another Shadow obscured by smoke snatched up Tatsuya’s treasure. Akira gagged and closed his eyes.

**Its all gone cold**

**Its not anger**

  
  
  
  


**Its grief**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you believe me if I said its fine! ...No? Okay....


	27. Lone Survivor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! A few things! I know I've been away for a while... But if you look at the chapter count you'll see why. I've been working on this thing off camera. Lmao. STILL! A lot of those chapters have to be reviewed by my Beta, and they've started school so it will be a little bit.
> 
> But the moment something is ready it will go up! So there is at least that! So thank you to everyone who had been leaving reviews (I know it took me forever to respond) and kudos and who's stuck around! Also I'm still slowly editing the old chapters. I'm lazy some days okay...
> 
> NEXT! AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! FROM THIS POINT ON THERE WILL BE NEW TAGS EACH CHAPTER.  
> Stuff is going to start getting dicey and as such every time something new and horrific gets added I will add new tags. Yes looking at the tag before reading the chapters will make it kind of spoiler-y, but like example, this new chapter has a tag for amputation! And corpse disrespect! I feel these are important for you to know! SP please always look at the new tags!
> 
> And now on with the show!  
> Follow me for insanity:  
> [tumblr](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)  
> 

 

**Ive never been this upset before  
  
  
**

**Its never been this dark before  
  
  
**

**Everyone is**

**Gone  
  
  
  
****Arent they  
  
  
  
**

**I just need a light**

 

Akira laid on his side looking out at the darkness stretched before him. His body felt limp. **Light** He could feel every nerve in his body commanding him to move, but he didn’t. He stayed on his side, **gone** listening to the thoughts **gone** echo around his head like footsteps descending a desolate stairwell.

He wasn’t sure where he was. But he could hear water **no light** rolling around and underneath him. If he really thought long about it, it felt like the floor was steadily rocking.

                                            **He left me to die Dad left me to die**

**Well I lost his light first Its fair**

**Back in the dark Shadows are back   Crawling**

**I ruined it**

**Crawling all over** **I did everything wrong**

There was no way he could move. The shadows that had been chasing **crawlinginto** him all his life had won. There wasn’t anything left to accept now except that this **lightless** darkness would be the last thing he saw. He couldn’t even hear Morgana any more.  
  
**Even Morgana has left me**

If he was here he’d chase the **Shadows** away. He’d jump and claw and growl until it was just the two of them sitting **dying** together. He was supposed to survive for as long as Morgana lived. He told himself he had to at least do that. And he **ruined it.  
** **I just need**

**Someone** **Is here**

Akira still couldn’t move his head, but he could hear footsteps coming. They were louder than his displaced thoughts and emotions, their echo scattering his feelings to the far edges of the darkness, waiting to react to what new horror was coming to take his life. The steps were heavy, burdened by more than their own weight. He heard grunting, struggling, groaning as something was pulled, dragged, and slung around the ground.

But where were they? He couldn’t see them at all.

He could hear something opening. The creaking metal hinge of a door, but there was still no light. And then the weight dropped into his darkened world. The only other visible thing. It dropped from the sky in a blur of blue, red and purple, landing with a crack as it collided with the expanse of his darkness.

The weight settled into a heap of ruffled clothing and twisted limbs, and soon red started puddling underneath it. And all his thoughts came running back. Like the shadows and the darkness they reached out climbing over the heap. Layers upon layers of thoughts, commands, and fears all crowding for the forefront of his mind demanding he act upon one of them.

 **What is that** **Is that for me** **How did it get here  
                                                          How did I  
****Its not a light** **Need to move   toward** **Where did it come from  
****Move away** **Is it a Shadow** **Move now  
****Still no light** **Is it going to attack  
****Is it here to kill  
**                                                                                                    **Move** **Kill me  
****Have to move toward it  
** Akira tried to will his body over to it.  
                                                                                            **Move now  
** He felt his lips twitch as he struggled to get a hold on his body. His arms and legs and fingers and feet all scrambled to understand the foreign command as if it was his first time commanding his body to move on its own.

 

**Move now**

**Move now**

**Move now**

**Now**

**NOW**

**NOW**

Akira’s arms pushed him up with such a force he nearly caused himself to roll back over onto the ground. He gasped, his lungs happily joining in on the reawakening of his body to alert him to the knowledge he’d been struggling for air. As he regained his sense of self, he felt wet, like he was covered in sweat. But he didn’t feel warm, he was cold. And it was salty. Disgustingly salty.

He crawled over the darkness toward the heap sharing this space with him, barely hesitating when his hands came in contact with the red puddle.

It smelled like iron.

His hands left red stains on the blue cloth as he rolled the lumpy figure over to stare into the face of his fellow Kasugayama senior class member.

“Takagawa?” Akira’s voice finally found its way back to his throat. “Takagawa!” **Move** He shook the other boy, looking down at his frozen face. **Move away** His eyes were fixed open, the fall had broken his jaw on the right side, making the lower half of his mouth hang a bit loose and flop open and closed as Akira shook him. “Takagawa, please!” **Move now**

He couldn’t take his eyes off the other teenager’s face. He waited for him to respond, to say anything. The longer he was silent the faster Akira’s heart raced. Out of the edges of his vision, he could see the shadows piling up from the floor, heaping blobs upon themselves as they crafted crude bodies. But Akira kept shaking him, calling his name, hoping his face would contort into the same cocky rage he displayed at school, expecting him to swear at him, call him a criminal and attempt to punch him in the face.

Desperate for him to show he was alive.

That Akira wasn’t alone in his darkness, even if it was someone who hated him.

“Please! Please!” He dragged his hands down the bully’s arms to grab his hand and squeeze it, only to find a nub. Akira recoiled, dropping his arm, and watching it fumble on the ground. His hand was gone. Both of them were, in their place stubs at the wrist where the bone and muscle were left exposed. Where the blood flowed freely, forming the puddle around the body and the puddle he was sitting in.

Akira backed up, screaming at the top of his lungs. He put his hands to his face, the blood on his palms covering his forehead, his eye lids, and lips. He was covered in it, covered in Takagawa’s blood.

He rubbed his hands over his shirt, on the ground, started spitting everywhere- doing anything he could to get Takagawa’s blood off of him. He was so obsessed with removing the blood form his skin that he didn’t notice the shadows closing in around him. Their footsteps echoing closer and closer.

Until the Lion reached down and grabbed him by the handkerchief around his neck.

He scrambled, flailing his arms and kicking his legs as he tried to free himself.

“Let go! Let go of me!” He grabbed at the hand behind his head and attempted to free himself. He only hesitated when a flash of silver came across his vision.

A blade.

A dagger.

Long, silver, with a pointed angular tip and a narrow black handle that extended upward into the lower hilt of the blade. It made an odd circular design, the metal curving around it, leaving a hole in the middle, just big enough for a few fingers to fit through.

Akira didn’t move but the knife drew closer.  
**Please move Please move away Move away Please PLEASE**

He closed his eyes and felt whatever air he had left in his throat start to choke him.

His mind struggled to command him to move, but not a single muscle responded.

His head was pounding. He was starting to get dizzy from the lack of air. It felt like his body was swaying in the darkness, tossed around like seafoam on relentless waves.

He was going to die.

It was what he always wanted, but not like this. Not to have someone else cut him open and strew his innards about the city. Not to be posted up like a corpse doll and always thought about. Always cried over. He wanted to fade away, be forgotten, be erased.

Not murdered.

His chest hurt. There was a fire burning out from around his heart where it struggled to maintain a steady beat and his lungs collapsed in on themselves, desperate to squeeze out the last bit of oxygen. All this struggling to live made his mouth and eyes water. But Akira didn’t dare open his eyes; he felt the water streaming down his face. Over his forehead, into his hair.

His body was drenched in a tidal wave of fearful sweat. There was a ringing and crashing in his ears. A deafening sound of abrupt chaos crashing against his body, cold and salty. And the ringing drew itself out form one long noise into a series of long rings. Then short rings. Then short pleadings akin to the sound of a worried and anxious cat.

The salty tears and sweat on his face rolled down and came back up with the flooding tide of noise and brought with them a grainy, gritty film that clung to his skin and made him itch.

It finally swelled up so much, the wave came right up his nose and into his mouth, forcing him to finally gasp for air. He had to sit up and gag and grab at his throat.

Akira opened his eyes to incomplete darkness. The night sky of Ebisu Beach overhead and the lights of buildings and street lights from the Konan District behind him barely illuminated the sand and his body. He was covered head to toe in sand, and sea water, and blood.

Akira held his arms out in front of him and looked down, watching his chest rise and fall as his adrenaline started to fade.

He wasn’t dead?

He had to pat himself down just to be sure he hadn’t been stabbed.

But there were no wounds. He was just covered in blood.

“Takagawa…” Akira finally spoke, saying his former classmate’s name. The word felt like it was rotting on his tongue. Takagawa was dead and he was alive.

Next to him another loud meow captured his attention. Akira turned his head to see Morgana fussing around him. The cat was moving back and forth pacing in broken steps, not quite putting any weight on his back left leg.

“Morgana!” He reached out to grab the cat and pulled him up to his chest. “Morgana… Did you follow me?” Akira buried his face in the cat’s fur and whispered. “How did I even end up here? What happened to the Lion? Why am I not dead?”

All his questions were met with purrs. The cat was constantly nuzzling against his face, excited he was up and responsive.

Akira stayed still with the cat in his arms for a few minutes more, the waves of the ocean rolling up and smacking against his legs.

Dumped on the beach.

Why had this happened? He finally had to let Morgana go when one of the bigger waves reached up to his arms and soaked the animal. As much as Morgana loved him, he evidently did not want to go for a swim. Akira pushed himself up to stand on wobbly legs. He had no idea how long he had been gone, but judging from the fringes of light off in the distance, he’d been missing all night.

“Etsuko’s probably freaking out…” He stumbled his way up the beach to a set of stairs leading down to the sand from the street. As soon as he was on the sidewalk Morgana called out, trotting off to Akira’s bike leaning up against the railing. “Even that was brought here? What for?”

Akira walked over and grabbed his bike; a quick look-over it proved it wasn’t damaged, but there was sand in the tire treads. Someone had ridden it around on the beach. He pulled himself onto the seat and put Morgana behind him before looking out over the ocean.

“Takagawa… I’m sorry I survived.”

  
  


Akira pedaled as fast as his legs would let him back to his cousin’s house. He stayed out of any street lights and kept to the shadows and back streets. He didn’t want anyone to see him like this. But he had to move fast, he was racing the dawn. He had to get back before his uncle and aunt woke up.

He didn’t want to worry them… But he had to tell someone about what had happened.

“Dad… And Goro. I’ve got to get them, right away.”

Akira pulled up to the Mishina house and parked his bike around the side. He ran around to the back corner of the house where Etsuko’s room was and peaked in the window. The only light in her room coming from her phone screen. Etsuko was still up. She was pacing around her room furiously texting someone.

…Probably everyone.

Akira hadn’t gotten any texts. He pulled out his phone and saw it had been turned off. He probably should have checked that when he woke up. He tucked it back into pocket and knocked on the window. Etsuko jumped. She spun her head around to the window and rushed over to fling it open.

“Akira!” She reached out to grab his shirt. “Where the hell have you be- Eewww! Why are you gross!” She pulled her hands back wiping them on her shirt.

“Don’t do that! Don’t touch me!” He hissed. Akira looked around but didn’t climb in the window. “Etsuko, go grab a plastic bag and a towel. Right now.”

His cousin looked down at her hands and the stains on her pajamas. “What is this…?” She held up her phone to get a good look at Akira and eyes went wide with shock, “OH my god! AKIRA!”

“Shh! SHHH!” He put his fingers to his lips and hissed. “Etsuko! Don’t freak out-”

“You’re covered in blood!”   
  
“And stop screaming!” He smacked the windowsill. “I need a plastic bag! And a towel- now!”

“Bu-but-”

“Etsuko, before your parents wake up! Go!!” Akira pointed towards her door.

Etsuko stayed still for a moment longer before finally dropping her phone and running out of her room. Akira sighed, put Morgana into the room, and turned on his phone. The moment it activated, he received a long list of text and a slew of voice mails from Etsuko and all of friends. 

“I’m back.” She closed the door behind her and ran over to hand Akira the bag and towel. “I’ll tell the others you made it back, but you- you’ve got to explain this.”

“Later.” Akira took the bag and started to strip down outside the room.

“What do you mean later?” Etsuko scrunched up her face at him.

“I’ve got to talk to Dad and Goro first. I’ve got to- to tell them what I saw…” Akira stopped after he took of his pants and pointed at the wall. “Turn around.”

“Are you really going to get naked outside?”

“Do you want blood in your room? Also give me that shirt since you got blood on that too.”

Etsuko made a garbled noise, but she moved away from the window to get a new shirt for herself before handing over the other one and turning her back to Akira. Akira stuffed all the clothes in the back and finally climbed into the room, towel wrapped around his waist. He stuffed the plastic bag into his other one and shut the window.

“I’m going to the shower. Tell everyone I’m fine and delete all those messages.”

“What? Why?”

“Etsuko.” Akira grabbed her shoulder. “None of you can be a part of this. Do you understand?”

“B-but, Akira? What happened?” She looked up at him, her eyes were wide with concern.

“I- I honestly don’t know…” he sighed, feeling tired for the first time since he woke up, “But tell them to clear their phones, okay? I just have a bad feeling. And I don’t want any of you to get caught up in it.”

“Okay…” Etsuko nodded slowly and sent out Akira’s instructions as he took himself and the bag to the bathroom.  
  
A shower was what he needed to wash away the sand, and the muck, and the salt, and the blood. There was so much of all of it. He was surprised he hadn’t vomited from it all. But maybe he was still in too much shock.

He tried to relax somewhat in the shower, but every time he closed his eyes he saw the knife, Takagawa’s body, the Lion, and the darkness. Every time he blinked, every time he shut out the visible world, they all came back.

Why was he alive?

The longer he stood in the shower and asked himself that, the more he felt like slouching down against the wall and crying. The hot water on his face and the residual salt of the ocean on his lips had made it unclear to him that he already had started crying.

Every time he asked himself why, he cried more and more, until the waterfalls from his eyes matched the intensity of the hot shower.

It was only the sound of someone knocking on the door that snapped him out of it.

“Akira?” Eikichi knocked again. “Akira, are you alright? It’s been an hour… If you don’t answer I’ll have to open the door.”

He took a deep breath and turned the water off. “I’m okay!” he called back in a shaky voice. “I’m… I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Alright.” His uncle’s voice sounded unsure, but Akira could hear him walking away. He took a few deep breaths and grabbed a new towel to dry off with.

After quickly getting dressed, he left the bathroom to dump his bag back in Etsuko’s room. His cousin was still in there, sitting up on her bed.

She raised her phone as he entered, “Everyone said you better explain ASAP. If not, Ann and Ryuji promised to come to your house and jump on your bed.”

Akira snorted. “I’ll talk to all of you soon. I just needed to clear my head.”

“You were in there forever, Akira.” Etsuko slid off her bed and walked over to pat him on the back. “And all night too… I- you-” she sighed and pulled her hand back. “I don’t think you’ve been this upset since the incident.”

“…Yeah.” He could only nod to her as another knock drew their attention.

“Hey, kid.” Eikichi stood in his daughter’s doorway, “Come help me with breakfast? Your dad called, said he’d be over in about an hour. Etsuko, you can get cleaned up for school while Akira helps me.”

“Sure,” Akira left his bag and followed his uncle out. He turned in the doorway to shout back at his cousin, “By the way, there’s no more hot water!”

“Ugh. Thanks a lot!” She stuck her tongue out as he pulled away and into the hall.  
  
  


His uncle was uncharacteristically silent as they pulled out ingredients and started preparing food. It was more like being at home than being at his cousin’s house.

All the silence was making him apprehensive.

Maybe he knew Akira had gone out? Maybe he saw the bloody clothes? What if Akira still had blood on him? The teen found himself exhaling harshly from between his lips every few seconds. Morgana joined them in the kitchen. The cat wound himself around his feet, still limping, but not as badly as before.

“So.” When his uncle finally spoke, Akira nearly dropped the bowl he was getting down from the cabinets. “Etsuko said you had a nightmare last night. That’s why you were in the shower so long?”

“A- a nightmare?” Akira paused, confused, but he quickly added up the false statement. Etsuko was covering for him. Annoying as she could be, she was blessing in disguise. He nodded, lips pressed together. “Yeah, I didn’t really sleep well… I kept dreaming about all the bad things going on.”

Eikichi put a hand on Akira’s shoulder, “There certainly has been a lot lately. Do you want to talk any about it? I mean, uh, I know I’m not as skilled at this as Jun or Maki-san, but I’m decent listener. No matter what Lisa says.”

Akira snorted back a laugh at his comment, “I- I don’t know.” He turned away and put the bowls on the table. “It’s not really a nightmare I can describe. A lot of it is... missing?”

“Well most dreams aren’t clear after we wake up,” Eikichi shrugged. “Usually it’s just a feeling.”

Akira stopped working and took a seat. “I guess I feel guilty.”

“Guilty?” That wasn’t what his uncle was expecting, if his tone was anything to go by. He moved closer to sit next to Akira keeping his hand on his shoulder. “Guilty about what?”

Akira hung his head and sighed again. His right hand found its way up his bangs as his eyes dug holes into the table.

“I guess- about dying. About- not wanting to die, but wanting it at the same time. About other people seeming to die just for having crossed my path… I kind of wonder why I’m not dead? Even though I asked for it.”

Eikichi squeezed Akira’s shoulder. “Akira, people aren’t dying because of anything you did.”

“I saw them die.” He looked up at his uncle. “Goro even said so.”

“The detective kid?” Akira nodded. “Well, just because you saw them die doesn’t mean they died because of you.”

“But why did I have to see it? Why did I have to see it and live? Shouldn’t the killer take my life too? I mean-” Akira turned away and rubbed his face with both hands. “I feel sick, thinking about- thinking about what I saw…”

“It was just a nightmare, Akira.”

The teenager slumped in his seat. It wasn’t a nightmare. Someone else was dead, and he was alive. He leaned forward until his forehead was against the table and sighed. He could feel his uncle rubbing his back, but it did little to comfort him.

From the end of the room her could hear someone enter and stay for a few minutes. During their visit Eikichi stopped moving his hand, letting it sit between his shoulders. It was more than likely his aunt who had entered, and they were exchanging some silent adult code to not interrupt. Finally, his uncle lifted his hand and spoke again.

“Okay, full disclosure.” Akira rolled his head to the side to look up at him; he noted the other person had already left. “I’m not the one for this kind of situation. But I know it’s hard at your age, and what you’re going through is not typical… I had problems in high school, not to the extent of you, or Tatsuya and Lisa- and hell, none of us, I think, could ever really grasp what had gone on with Jun his whole life… but I do know there was one thing that we all stuck to, to get through it.”  
  
Eikichi smiled at him and put his hand to his chest. “You have to eventually learn to love yourself. Because despite how much you want to know others love you, or others to care for you… You can lose others. People change, and move on, and leave, but you’re always going to have you. That’s not to say that you can’t change yourself to fit the ideal you want- but you have to want it. You have to want to be here. Maybe you feel guilty because you still believe you don’t deserve to be here. And I’m certain that Tatsuya and Jun and all your friends tell you that’s wrong. But you’ve never convinced yourself. So you feel guilty. So you can’t rest.”

“I have to want to?” Akira kept his head down, but continued to look up at his uncle.

“Sure!” Eikichi pat his hands on the table. “Look, Lisa will tell me to stop filling your head with narcissistic ideas, but I know I’m right about this. Because at the end of the day we’re all here because we wanted to be. From your dads, to Lisa, to me- at some point in our lives we decided to be _here_ for each other and for ourselves. And I know you’ve always been the best at being here for others… But I don’t think you ever really grasped wanting to be here for yourself.”

Akira said nothing as his uncle spoke. Had he been told this before? Probably. But he did define himself by his relations to other people, that was for sure. Even now, he defined a lot of himself in relation to the newest person in his life…

“Uncle,” Akira pushed himself to sit up. “I- I-” Akira kept starting and stopping his sentence. Was the advice relevant? He saw Takagawa’s corpse last night. And somehow, he didn’t die. He wasn’t sure how much caring about himself would erase that feeling. But, maybe it was worth something.

“Look,” Eikichi went ahead and spoke over him. “Like I said, I’m not the best at this. You should still talk to Jun about it. And Maki-san when you can sneak in a visit. But just think on it, Akira? Okay?”

“Okay,” Akira nodded. With that, he stood, and they finished getting breakfast ready for the Mishina household.  


 

By the time breakfast was over, Tatsuya had arrived to pick Akira up. His uncle briefly explained that Akira had had a rough night of sleep.

Akira caught the look of disbelief in his father’s eyes, the way they slowly rolled over to him and then back to the other man. It was like he already knew. He even came over in the car and not on his motorcycle, as if to trap Akira in on the ride back home. Neither of them said a word until they were back at the house.

“So...” Tatsuya closed the door to the garage once they were both inside. “Do you want to talk about last night?” His dad leaned against the door. He started to shrug his shoulders, even play along with the narrative, “About your nightmare I mea-”

“Takagawa is dead,” Akira cut him off. He turned around to face Tatsuya’s stunned expression. “He died last night… The Lion cut off his hands. He’s dead. And I saw it. And I lived.”

“A-akira.” Tatsuya pushed off the door. “Akira, are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure!” He shouted back at him. Morgana ran away, startled by the outburst. Akira felt his arms start to shake. He hadn’t meant to shout at his father. “Of course I’m sure… I saw him. He’s dead. I- I went looking for Goro, and found the Lion instead. They stole your lighter. I woke up in some dark area and Takagawa was dead!”

He closed his eyes to take a deep breath, but the moment his eyes were shut, he saw it all again: the body, the blood, the knife. Akira put a hand over his mouth and felt something wrap around him. He tried to pull back, only to have Tatsuya hold him tighter. His father pushed his face against his chest and held on.

Akira could hear him muttering, telling him he was alright. Telling him to just let it all out.

Let what out?

Tatsuya’s shirt felt wet against Akira’s cheek. As did his hand on his mouth, muffling the distressed wail coming from the back of his throat. If the detective let go, Akira would probably would have fallen to the ground from how much his legs were shaking.

_Takagawa was dead._

The phrase kept repeating itself over and over again in the air of their home, spoken in Akira’s broken voice.

_Takagawa was dead._

Tatsuya stopped saying anything, just opting to focus on keeping Akira up right.

_Takagawa is dead._

If he had the sense to tell Tatsuya he felt guilty, Akira would have been met with his father’s relieved face.

Because Takagawa was dead, but Akira was alive.

  
  
  


Goro hadn’t slept at all in that horrible little cell Tatsuya and Baofu had stuffed him in. Perhaps at some points he had managed to doze off, but he never completely fell asleep. It was impossible for him to do so. Not now that they had clearly laid out their distrust for him and he knew the two were going through his things.

He pressed his forehead against the bars of the little cell for perhaps the hundredth time and stared out at the room before him. He could see Baofu’s computers working, scanning the city’s phone lines, websites, and his phone. He’d done his best to look over the maps hanging up on the far wall and read the notes posted there. He’d paced on and off again all evening, thinking about the information he’d lost, the things he’d gained, the fear of others knowing his father’s identity.

His only solace all night was that Akira had gotten away.

He heard a door open, but not the one above his cell that Tatsuya and Baofu left out of last night. Instead the sound of the door came from the opposite end of the room. He grabbed the bars and leaned forward to spy a second set of stairs. They more than likely lead up to the private eye office over the basement lair. He could hear footsteps, a pair of heeled shoes coming down the stairwell.

“Ciao!” A woman’s voice called out before the owner came into view.

“Serizawa-san!” Goro shouted at the redhead as she stepped off the bottom stair. She was carrying with her a plate of food and cut up bits of fruit.

“Hey, kid,” She set down the plate and walked over to his cell shaking her head. “God, I can’t believe they _actually_ locked you in here. I mean I know Baofu told me they did but-”

“Serizawa-san, you have to let me out!” He shook the bars a bit as he pleaded with her. “I’ve got to get to Baofu and Tatsuya, this is all a misunderstanding!”

She folded her arms. “You know, I don’t doubt that it is… But I can’t let you out yet.”

“What? Why? You just said you can’t believe that they locked me in here!” Goro reached through the bars, his hand wide open.

She nodded. “That’s correct, I wouldn’t have locked you up. I think we just need to talk to you… So, let’s talk. How about over breakfast?” She turned her back to him and grabbed the plate, holding it up. “I’ve got some waffles and fruit! They’re toaster waffles, but they’re still good.”

“Ugh,” Goro pressed his head against the bars again. “Pass.”

“It’s not healthy to skip breakfast you know.” She set the plate down. “How about some coffee?”

“No thank you,” Goro sighed.

“Suit yourself.” Ulala walked over to a coffee pot on the counter and started it up. “So, let’s talk about your situation.”

Goro watched her. “How did they find out about my father?”

“Well, that was a bit tricky.” Ulala came closer to the bars while the coffee brewed. She grabbed the plate of food, pulled up a chair and sat down just in front of him. “When Baofu learned Leviathan was sending someone here to ‘investigate,’ he started combing through the SIU staff. There were a lot of people they thought were coming. No one was expecting you.”

“So I’ve been told,” he said dryly. While she ate, Goro started thinking about what he could do to get her to open the bars. He hadn’t seen a key anywhere in the room, and when Tatsuya and Baofu locked him in it seemed like the key was already on them.

There was a chance she had a key on her as well…

“Well, once we realized it was someone we were unfamiliar with, Baofu started to look into who you were.” Ulala continued to eat. “Nothing remarkable at first, really. In fact, you probably would have flown under the radar if not for Akira.”

“Akira?” Goro tilted his head. “Why him?”

The red head snorted. “For perspective, the first thing Tatsuya said to me this morning was ‘find out why he’s wearing my son’s clothes’. Not about the case. Not about your employer. But-”

“-But about Akira!” Goro let go of the bars and crossed his arms. “I know Suou-san is worried about Akira’s safety. I imagine all good parents would be, but isn’t he a little more paranoid than usual?”

Goro watched as Ulala’s expression slipped into something still and reserved. The woman looked away, staring at the maps up on the wall.

“Is this because of Shido? But he didn’t learn about that until after I arrived.”

“It is, and it isn’t. Your involvement with Shido is really, well,, surprising. I mean once we found out a lot of things about you made sense-”

“It’s just circumstantial. I have _no_ loyalty to that man. I swear.”

Ulala shrugged, “Tatsuya never wanted Akira to be part of these things. I mean, we’ve been researching the New World Order for years. But we do our best to keep people not involved out of the way. Akira shouldn’t… Well, maybe it’s fate it all happened this way. But if I said that out loud he’d laugh at me.” She chuckled to herself as the coffee pot let off a beep alerting her to the fact it was done. “You sure you don’t want any coffee?”

Goro sighed; it wouldn’t be as good as what he could get back home, “Yes. I’ll take some coffee.” He watched her get up and started talking again. “So, Tatsuya wants Akira to not be involved in this? Well, he already is. And honestly, if we worked together, this would be over a lot faster! What do I have to do to prove to him that I just want the truth like he does?”

Ulala poured each of them a cup, “When he comes back from picking up Akira, he’ll have a bunch of questions about you and Shido. About your connections and why you work for Tokyo SIU. I don’t think they got much from your hotel.”

“I’d expect they wouldn’t. There’s nothing connecting me to Shido other than blood.” Goro watched as she came back to the bars and handed him the mug.

“You say that with such conviction.” The woman cast her eyes down and smiled wryly.

“Because it’s true. The only thing that would have brought us together, maybe, the only one, died a long time ago.” Goro took a sip from his mug and twisted his lips. It was far to acidic and bitter.

“I’m sorry, kid.” Ulala shook her head.

“I am too,” Goro looked up at her and they exchange a brief solemn smile…

Before Goro lurched forward and threw his coffee into Ulala’s face. She let out a scream and started to back up, but he reached through the bars and grabbed her arm. Immediately she started to struggle: punching his hands while shaking coffee out of her eyes. Goro used the mug to smash her knuckles every time she grabbed onto or struck at the hand he had on her.

The entire ordeal was no fun for him. His arm was still sore from the tumble he took last night, and Ulala pulling his body forcefully wasn’t helping it feel any better.

The young detective braced his feet against the bars and pulled his entire body back, forcing the woman to stumble forward and bang her head against the bars. She let out a scream and Goro did it again. This time her grip weakened. Finally, he yanked back a third time and Ulala fell to the ground.

Goro let go and stumbled back, falling on his ass with a graceless thud.

He sat up and looked over at the woman lying just on the other side of the bars. “Serizawa-san?” he called out softly before crawling forward. “Serizawa-san?” Goro reached through and shook her shoulder.

She was out cold.

He let out a sigh and began digging through her pockets. He found a set of keys right away and got up to test them all out on the door. The fourth key on the ring opened his cell.

He stepped out over her body and ran over to grab his phone from where it was plugged into Baofu’s computers. Immediately he opened it and scrolled through to see what the last messages were to see what Tatsuya had done. However, he saw nothing. There were no messages.

“Did he delete them?” Scrolling further Goro realized that something else was missing: all of his messages to Akira. The entire chain was gone, as well as his contact information. He shook his head and tucked his phone back into his pocket before heading back over to Ulala. He couldn’t leave her like this.

Goro crouched down next to the woman and began digging through her pockets once more looking for her phone. He found it, or at least he thought he did in her side pocket. He pulled out a phone with a velvet blue case, no indication of the make or model printed anywhere on it, and when he swiped the screen displayed a golden, elaborately scripted V in the middle of the screen. A second swipe and the phone asked him to speak the password.

“Voice activated?” He looked down at Ulala, frowning. He tried to think if he ever saw her with this elaborate phone before, but he couldn’t recall ever seeing her phone before. He set it down and checked her pockets one more time.

Sure enough, he found a second, more common phone with a number based passcode. He started punching in common number combinations: one for times, the first four numbers, nine four times. It was after the third attempt that the phone unlocked.

“A terrible password for an investigator,” he sighed. Goro scrolled through her contacts until he located Baofu and called him.

“What is it, Ulala?” the man answered after the first ring.

“My, that’s a very rude way to greet your partner,” Goro said.

“Hey! What are you doing with Ulala’s phone!?”

“I just wanted to call you to tell you to come back to your office. I had to incapacitate Serizawa-san so I could depart. I don’t recommend you open a hotel down here; the bed is rather uncomfortable.”

“Hey! What did you do to Ulala? Hey! Don’t hang up-”

Goro ended the call and set the phone down on the ground. He glanced one more time at the blue phone before departing, sprinting his way up the backstairs and out of the basement. He didn’t stop running as he ran through the back alley and out onto the main street.

He took a quick glance around making sure neither Tatsuya or Baofu was within eyesight, but all he saw was a patrol car parked down the street. Confident he was in the clear, Goro turned and started running away from the building as fast as he could.

  
  


Goro ran until he was exhausted.

He wasn’t even sure where he was going to run away to. He couldn’t go back to his hotel and going to the police station was out of the question.

Somehow, his feet had decided on running north across town and making his way to the Hideout. However, he ran out of steam about hallway across Rengedai. He found an empty gap between two buildings and leaned against a wall to catch his breath.

What was he going to do? He needed to talk to Tatsuya honestly, but he was also sure that after this stunt he would probably be met with hostility.

He fished out his phone and tried to call Akira, but his phone politely told him his call could not be completed as dialed. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes. He couldn’t get a hold of Akira, and he didn’t have anyone else’s number. But he knew where to find them.

Goro pushed off the wall and started walking towards Seven Sisters. He’d seek out the rest of the Masked Circle and get in contact that way.

Goro reached Seven Sisters just before the students were going to let out for lunch. He had no idea what classes Akira’s friend were in, but a quick trip to the teachers’ office would fix that. He made it about five feet into the front door when someone called out to him.

“Hold it, young man! What do you think you’re doing here?”

Goro turned to see an elderly man with a scar hobbling his way. He almost looked like he was gritting his teeth at the teenager to sneer at him. “You’re not one of my students! You can’t just walk onto campus.”

“Ah, excuse me.” Goro started to reach for his pocket, “My name is Akechi, Goro and I’m a- a-” he stopped halfway through his sentence. He didn’t have his wallet. He glanced down and it struck him: he didn’t have _anything_ ; he was still wearing that ridiculous get-up from the club! All of his clothes were in the bag! “-With Akira!” He shouted.

Goro hung his head and sighed.

“Young man, if you don’t leave the premises right away, I’ll be forced to call the police.”

“No!” Goro raised his hands and shook his head. “No, I’m with the police! There’s no need to call them.”

“You’re with the police? Ha! I’ve heard plenty of lies in my time as principal here, but that one takes the cake! Alright, you’re coming with me-” the man reached out for Goro, and in that moment, his mind presented two opportunities. Stay put, be detained, have to explain to whatever officer that came to the school who he was, and give away his location to Tatsuya.

Or shove this old man out the way and run.

Goro quickly pushed the principal’s hand away and started running. Behind him he heard the old man shouting at him as he booked it for the stairwell. He could start flinging open class rooms and screaming for Akira’s friends, but that would just make more of mess.

How many adults was he willing to run from today?

He got off the stairs on the third floor and sprinted down the hall, only making it past the first class room before a familiar face stepped out into the hall. Goro came to halt at the sight of Anna, coming out of room carrying a stack of papers.

“Yoshizaka-san!” he called to her.

The woman turned to him, surprised, and folded an arm over her papers to keep them in place.

“Akechi-san? What are you doing here...?”

“I’ll explain in a moment, but can I hide in your office? This man with a cane is chasing me-”

“Principal Hanya? Why? What did you do?” She looked behind him to see if the old man was close by.

He sighed. “Not have my ID. Or look professional enough.”

Anna snorted. “Well, he’s got you there… Come on, hurry.”

The woman turned on her heels and walked with a brisk pace back to her office. She let Goro inside just as the principal finally made it up to the third floor. She slid the door shut behind her and set her paperwork down.

“So, why are you here without any of your stuff?”

“Would you believe it if I told you I was kidnapped by Suou-san last night?” Goro sighed.

Anna paused for a moment and tilted her head. “Yes, actually.”

“Well, it’s thanks to him that I’m in this predicament!” He folded his arms and fell back into the extra seat in her office. “I need to get in contact with Akira, but my phone can’t connect to him. I came up here to find one of his friends and use their phone.”

“I see, well I can call Sakamoto to my office for you.”

Goro felt his lips twist; he probably would have picked Ryuji last if it was up to him. However, it did make sense for the track teacher to call a track student to her office rather than one of the girls or Mishima. “Alright, call him. Thank you.”

Goro leaned back in the chair he’d claimed, anxious. He knew it wouldn’t take Ryuji long to arrive, but it felt like he was waiting forever. The moment the door opened he jumped to his feet and tried to speak. However, Ryuji immediately started to talk over him.

“Sakamoto! Give me your phone I’ll explain later-” Goro took a step to Ryuji as he spoke.

“Dude! You! Where the _hell_ have you been? We’ve been freaking out all night-” the blond moved closer to him, raising his hands in confusion.

“Boys…” Anna watched the two draw closer together, a bit concerned.

“I’ll tell you later. I need to talk to Akira!”

“Well yeah you need to talk to Akira! What’s wrong with you!” Ryuji smacked his hand away as soon as he was within arm’s reach.

“Will you give me your phone!?”

“Boys!” Anna shouted.

“Only when you tell me what the ‘eff you’ve been doing all night!” Ryuji shoved him back.

“Sakamoto! Language!”.

“Give me your goddamn phone you blond ape!!” Goro grabbed Ryuji’s school jacket and started shaking him.

“You can pry it from my cold dead hands, you stuck up prick!” Ryuji grabbed onto the front of the red hood Goro was wearing and the two immediately started to take swings at each other, shouting whatever they could and drowning out Anna’s orders for them to calm down.

Ryuji grabbed Goro’s injured arm and twisted it, causing him to shout. The next thing he knew, Goro was being yanked forward by said arm and Ryuji was looping his free arm around Goro’s neck.

“Call me an ape again! Do it!”

“Let go of me!”

“Boys! For crying out loud! Ryuji! Let him go!” Anna grabbed his shoulders and started to pull him back. “Do you want to get in trouble for assaulting an officer of the law?!”

“He’s not a real cop anyway,” Ryuji grumbled, but looked back at his teacher and let him go.

“For goodness sake, Ryuji,” Anna huffed, “why did you fly off the handle like that?”

“I told Akira following him around was no good, and now look what happened!!” Ryuji threw his hands up in the air.

Goro rubbed his neck, irritated. “What do you mean ‘now look what happened’?”

“Don’t play dumb! Akira went out looking for you last night!”

“Wait-” Goro stopped rubbing his neck. “He did what? Why did you all let him do that?”

“You think we wanted to?” Ryuji snarled. “By the time Akira decided to go find you, he was Etsuko’s place. We couldn’t stop him from leaving. She started texting all of us after he didn’t come back-”

“Didn’t come back? You mean he’s missing?” Goro screeched. “Why wouldn’t you tell me that from the start?”

“Ryuji, why didn’t you tell me?” Anna spoke up now, just as shocked as Goro.

“Well, he was missing... He came back at dawn.” The blond turned his attention toward his teacher. “He ain’t missing any more. He’s at home. His father took him… Akira told us all to stay away. And all his message are-” he stopped and looked over at Goro. “All I know is he’s home.”

Goro narrowed his eyes at Ryuji. It was such a blatant lie. “What did Akira say to you all?”

“I’ve got nothing to say to you.”

Goro took a step forward, but Anna put herself between the two of them, “You should go directly to Akira’s home, Akechi-san.”

“Oh come on, Yoshizaka-san! Aren’t you listening to me! That’s only going to make it worse! He’s the entire reason this happened!”

Anna turned to Ryuji.

“Stay here. I’m going to go get your friends, I want to know what’s going on as well. Akechi, will you be alright getting out of here on your own?”

“Yes. Thank you, Yoshizaka-san.” He took one last look at Ryuji before he fled the office. Goro had a much easier time leaving school grounds than he did getting on them.  
  


He made it all the way to the end of the line of trees on the school’s far west end before he heard his name shouted. Goro stopped and turned around to see Shiho riding up to him on her bike.

“Wait! Akechi!” She came to a stop next to him.“Thank goodness I caught you…”

“Shizu-san? Uh, I really need to get going,” Goro pointed off down the road.

“I know. Ryuji sent us all a text saying you were leaving campus… You’re going to Akira’s, right? You can take my bike.” The girl dismounted and pushed it his way.

“Oh, thank you! That will help me get there sooner.” He took the bike from her.

“Also!” She pulled out her phone, “Give me your information. Akira says he can’t contact you, but I can add you to our group chat. That way you can contact all of us.”

Goro started to pull out his phone, but hesitated, “I- that might not be wise. That man, Baofu, did something to it.”

“Oh…” Shiho lowered her eyes.

“Just tell Akira I’m on my way. I- can’t come in through the front door. So just tell him to wait for me in his room.”

“Understood,” she watched him get on her bike and spoke up again, “Akechi?” He stopped and turned back to her. “Akira… He’s not- it’s not good. He told us all to stay away… He said Takagawa was dead.”

“Dead?” Goro’s eyes lit up, “He’s sure?”

Shiho nodded.

“… After school, can you all go to the Hideout? I’ll think of something, and I’ll use Akira’s phone to call you.”

“Okay!” She nodded. “Good luck!”  
  
  
  
  
Shiho’s bike was closer to what Goro was used to than Akira’s delivery bike: a proper cycling bike, made to adjust to his speed. It was a bit of an older model than the one he used to ride around Tokyo with, but it was more than enough to allow him to race from Seven’s over to Akira’s home. He honestly hadn’t realized how fast he was going until he nearly flew past the residence.

Goro made a u-turn and practically jumped off the seat, running up to the gate to push it open. He dumped the bike into the bushes and sprinted around to the back yard.

He stopped next to Akira’s window and looked inside. He could see the other teen sitting on his bed, with his knees up to his chest and phone in hand. The detective tapped on the glass and watched as Akira’s head whipped around to face him.

The boy in the room got up and stumbled over to open his window. “Goro…” He said the detective’s name as if all the wind had been knocked out of his lungs. He didn’t move from the window, staring at him, waiting for something.

“Let me in?” Goro finally asked him.

Akira offered him his hands to help pull him into the window. When they were both inside, his grip tightened, but still he said nothing. Goro looked over his face. He wasn’t wearing his glasses, the corners of his eyes and cheeks were red, and his expression seemed hollow. Other than the red edges around his eyes and on his cheeks, he was wan and drooping.

“Akira?”

“Uh?” Hearing his name snapped him out of staring. Akira let go and backed up until his legs found his bed. He promptly fell over and stared up at his ceiling.

“Akira, are you- are you okay?”

“I’ve been sick since Dad left,” he spoke without looking over at him. “He told me to stay here and keep the place locked up, make it look like no one was home…”

Goro walked over to the bed and stood over him, “Shiho told me Takagawa is dead. Do you... want to tell me what happened?”

“I already told Dad everything-”

“I can’t talk to your father. At least not yet. He’s-” Goro paused. “I’m sorry about last night.” He took a seat on the bed. “After you left there was some trouble… But I thought I had it, the evidence I needed. But it was destroyed, and Tatsuya took what was left of it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that?” Akira rolled over onto his side to face him.

“Your father also took my phone. I wasn’t talking to you last night,” Goro pulled on the red hoodie, “I was detained. I had to escape this morning and I’ve just been running around trying to find you, trying to find a place to hide from them.”

“… Our house probably isn’t the best option then.” Akira shook his head.

Goro choked and pressed the back of his knuckles to his lips. He looked over at Akira. There was the faintest trace of a smile on his lips. It was probably the first one he’d had in hours. “No, it’s probably not…” He sighed. “But after I heard you went missing, I knew had to come here.”

“Why?”

“Because this crime is centered around you for one reason or another. Even if I never spoke to you, I think things would have escalated to this point eventually.” Goro leaned back, letting most of his weight rest on his right arm as he pressed it down into the mattress. “But, even beyond that… Something bad happened to you. And I- I can’t say why, but when everyone told me something was wrong, I knew I should be here. I knew you would- would-?”

“Appreciate it.” Akira filled in the blank.

“Right, because you said you wanted us to stick together…” The detective let his eyes wander away from the bed. “Maybe you do a lot of stupid things, but you don’t deserve this.”

“But don’t I?” Goro looked back at Akira; he’d closed his eyes now. “Don’t you think I should have died instead of Takagawa?”

“No, I don’t think either of you should have died. I-”

“But if you had to pick?” Akira whispered his question.

Goro took a deep breath and looked away again. He looked around the room, at Akira’s things, at Morgana sitting on the floor, at the painting hanging over head and then across the way to the empty wall.

“I’d pick Sudou to die. He’s the one that deserves it.”

Akira sat up slowly, “I don’t understand why they didn’t kill me…” He didn’t look at Goro. “I saw the knife, I know he was going to stab me. I don’t understand why Takagawa was the only one he killed. Do you really think that it’s fair that I’m here?”

“Akira,” Goro shook his head, “That’s not how you should be thinking about this. You shouldn’t feel guilty you survived, you should be thankful. I admit, it’s strange he let you go… He surely can’t think that he’ll get another chance at you, not after how close I was last night, but don’t start questioning if it’s fair or not.”

Goro watched Akira turn his head away and hum. The noise was almost like the grumbling of a machine.

“I’m sure if we asked Takagawa, he wouldn’t think like this… Dad didn’t seem to care. He was… relieved,” Goro watched Akira’s fingers curl up and squeeze his bed sheets. “I thought he’d be upset. I always thought he was upset I was around to some degree. Sometimes he so reluctant about things… But after I told him- I think he was smiling?”

“I think,” Goro reached out and put a hand on Akira’s shoulder, “I think it would be completely heartless if your own father wasn’t happy you survived this ordeal.”

Akira remained silent, but let his body lean over until his head was pressed up against Goro’s shoulder.

“I’m tired.” His eyes were closed.

“I imagine so… You probably didn’t sleep much last night.”

“I blacked out at some point, but I wouldn’t really call it sleeping.”

“Ok.” Goro shifted himself so he could pull his legs up onto the bed. Akira raised his head for a moment to watch him lie down, using his left elbow and hand to prop his head up. “Let’s rest. And then we’ll go over everything that happened last night. Maybe I can figure something out.”

“I already told Dad everything…”

Goro shrugged with a slight smile. “Yes, but I’m the special investigator here to help. And fresh eyes on a case usually spot things others don’t.”

Akira nodded and laid himself down face the detective. He kept his eyes open, staring at the gold star across the red hoodie. The detective asked Akira for his phone.

As promised, Goro texted Shiho and the rest of the group chat.

 **Akira:** This is Akechi **.** I’m at Akira’s. He’s doing okay.

 **Ann:** That’s great news! What are you two going to do now?

 **Akira:** I’m going to stay here for a bit, gather evidence. Then, I’ll try to help Suou-san.

Goro watched as Ryuji’s name came up in the chat with a few dots appearing, but the boy never posted.

 **Yuuki:** Keep us updated, okay?

 **Shiho:** Be sure to keep us updated!

 **Yuuki:** Again????

“Your clothes are in my closet…” Akira said, eyes still on the red and gold clothing in front of him.

“Oh thank god.”


	28. The Old Ones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again a new tag for this chapter because SOME PEOPLE in this story are creepy weirdos. And there's some hints about previous inappropriate relationships. But not said out right. If you're reading between the lines and find yourself going, are you saying what I think you're saying? The answer is yes.
> 
> This last two chapters were long, I almost split them up but then was like no suffer through the words.

 

 

“Nyarlathotep.”  
  
Goro opened his eyes and yawned. At some point he’d drifted off to sleep in Akira’s room. He still had the phone in his hands, but his head was now on Akira’s pillow. The other teen was sitting up, looking up at the painting hanging over his bed.

“Um, what?” Goro rubbed his eyes. “What did you say?”

“Nyarlathotep. It’s what the Lion says whenever I’m around… This time, he said ‘Take this offering, Nyarlathotep.’ I think… It’s all mostly a blur.”

“Offering?” Goro sat up and ran his hands through his hair. “What does that mean? The victims?”

Akira shrugged. “It’s just what he said this time… Or maybe it’s what he always said. I just- heard it, while I was sleeping: Nyarlathotep.”

Goro rubbed his cheek and looked down at the phone. It had only been a few hours since he passed out.

“He said the same thing at the Zodiac Club. That weird name… What is it?”

Akira finally looked away from the painting. “I’ve heard it before. Not from the Lion… It’s something from Grandfather’s book.”

“The book…?” Goro felt a little more awake now. “The occult book?” Akira nodded. “It always goes back to this supernatural nonsense doesn’t it? Why? These are very real world murders.” He rubbed his chin before looking back at Akira. “Akira, is the book here?”

“It’s upstairs, in my parents’ room.”

“Come on, then!” Goro pushed himself forward and stood up, “We’re going to go read it.”

Akira got up as well. He reached out to grab Goro’s hand. The detective didn’t question him; he willingly pulled Akira along as they left his room. Morgana followed.

For a brief moment, Goro wondered how much trouble he was going to get into once he had to explain to Tatsuya he invaded his bedroom. After crashing on Akira’s bed. After coming in through the window.

Well, he’d already illegally locked him in a cell overnight so to hell with consequences, he guessed.

He pushed open the door to the bed room and stepped inside, letting go of Akira’s hand.

“It should be on Pop’s book shelf.” Akira motioned to a bookcase across from the foot of the bed. It was a head shorter than the two of them, with a few photos sitting on top. They both walked over and Akira started scanning for the book while Goro looked at the images.

He picked out one of a man with dark brown hair and eyes, wearing a light chocolate-colored cardigan. He was holding a little boy with dark brown hair swept to the side. They were both standing somewhere in the countryside at night, with a clear view of the stars in the background and what looked like a little telescope set up behind them.

“Is this Kashihara-san?” Goro picked up the picture.

Akira looked up, “Yeah, that’s Grandpa. There’s not a lot of pictures of him.”

Goro continued to look over the images. There were more of Akira than anything. Goro was sure that if he could find an album, it would probably be full of him at all stages of his life. The next photo that jumped out at him was a wedding image. Tatsuya in a tux and Jun in a white dress standing before the steps of the old abandoned shrine. He would have questioned the location, except the next picture was clearly a group of kids standing on the same, completely intact staircase, all wearing Featherman masks.

“Is this your parents and your aunts and uncle?” Goro motioned his thumb at the image.

“Yes, that’s them,” Akira stood up with a book in hand, its spine worn and battered. “The original Masked Circle.”

“They all wore Featherman Masks? Why don’t you all?” 

“Um, because Featherman is a lame kids show. The name is cool though, so we kept it.”

“Oh,” Goro looked away to glance at the book in Akira’s hands. “Is that it?” He looked back at Akira to see the other teenager sizing him up with a scrutinizing stare. “What?”

“…Do you… Like Featherma-”

“I didn’t say that.” Goro cut him off.

“You seem disappointed.” Akira raised his eyebrows.

“I was just  thought there was a better explanation,” Goro stood up straight, maybe a little too straight.

“Pops has every season on DVD,” Akira leaned in to watch Goro’s face. “Do you want to borrow them?”

“Give me that book!” Goro snatched the notebook from his hands and sat down on the end of the bed. “We’re looking for clues. Not watching TV!” He looked over the cover and mouthed the title of the book to himself. 

_ “In Lak’ech.” _

He started flipping through the book, looking for any clues about the case. Akira sat down next to him and leaned over his shoulder. “Pop’s says this book is a combination of ideas from his father, Okamura-san, and ‘visions’ from Sudou-san.”

“Visions, huh?”

“Yeah, like the stuff that says its instructions from aliens. That’s Sudou-san’s information.”

“Pardon me for pointing this out, but that’s insanity…” Goro stopped on a page and pointed at one of the words. “Idealian! That’s the name of that medication!”

Akira leaned over and studied the quote, “Idealians are a race of highly advanced aliens that will lead humanity into the perfect evolutionary state. They sleep within the Xibalba, awaiting to be awakened to share their knowledge with humanity…”

“It says here the Xaibalba is a spaceship that’s  _ under _ the city… The main entrance is located under Alaya Shrine.” Goro tilted his head back. “Why name the drugs after something so insane?”

“Well, Idealians are sleeping, right?” Akira continued to read the page, “Taking that drug makes me feel like I’m asleep. The world is totally cut off from your senses.”

“I-” Goro looked at him, wide eyed, “That actually makes sense. A drug that creates a near comatose state named after a creature that’s supposed to be in a similar hibernation. Idealian.”

“I bet Kegare is in here too,” Akira started flipping pages. “There it is!”

“Kegare… That’s the misfortune that that woman Ishigami is pedaling to customers who follow her fortune telling.” Goro looked down at the page started reading the explanation. “Kegare: a negative emotion that builds up within the soul of humanity. Counter to the Idealian principals, those harboring too much Kegare within them cannot achieve humanity’s perfection. Like Kurosu-san-”

Akira interrupted him, “That sounds like it was written by Okamura-san. She never liked Gran. Pops says it was no secret, even if the affair was all made up.”

Goro nodded, “Look at this description: ‘Too much Kegare invites the ‘shadow’ to invade one’s mind, resulting in humanity’s violent outbursts, selfish actions, and careless decisions. Kegare will eventually lead one to self-destruct and harm all those around them…” He tilted his head back. None of the drugs Akira had been taking caused that result. However…

“On the recording. Some of the people in that basement lab, they were acting violent. Not like the Idealian you’ve been taking.”

“You’re saying they made another drug based on these concepts? But no one’s been acting crazy and violent around town.”

“No one’s been acting crazy and violent  _ yet _ . They’ve been testing these drugs. They test Idealian at the mental hospital. We don’t know where they’ve been testing Kegare.”

Akira shifted in his seat, uneasy. “Keep going.”

“Right.” Goro resumed flipping through the book until they neared the end. Both boys simultaneously called for the other to stop and look at a page near the end. On one side of the book was an image of a golden butterfly. A long list of text and description took up the rest of the pages.

“’The Ideal God Philemon’,” Goro read.

“A creature that dwells in the hearts and souls of man,” Akira started combing the text, “Philemon represents the ‘ideal’ of humanity's future, the goodness within people’s hearts and minds. His powers are extended to those who have little to no Kegare in their hearts. He appears as butterfly made of light, appearing to be gold in color. The test of his will will lead us into a state in which we can ascend to new heights.”

“The butterfly is a god?” Goro scoffed. “Arrogant to use a deified symbol for their drug trading.”

“It looks like it continues onto the next page,” Akira turned for the rest of the explanation and stopped, his hand hovering in the air over the book.

On the next page there was another image. A black mass of spirals and tendrils extending out from what looked like it started as the shape of a butterfly, but now looked like chaotic mess of ink scribbles.

“T-that,” Akira pulled his hand back, “The Shadows.”

Goro looked over at Akira and then down at the image. Akira looked stricken. “Akira, have you seen this before?”

“It’s what follows me!” He raised his voice. “Every time the Lion is around, that!” He pointed at the image. “That’s what I see. Crawling all over the walls, all over me. That’s the Shadows.”

Goro studied the image again. He couldn’t deny it bore a similar resemblance to the scribbles Maki had shown him, the ones Akira had drawn those as a child. “Akira, your Shadows aren’t this. Your shadows are just bad memories about your birth father-”

“I know what I’m seeing!!” He snapped.

Goro shook his head. “Akira, calm down. I’m not saying you’re not seeing them, I’m just saying your hallucinations and this are two different things.”

Akira pressed his lips together, “I know what the Shadows look like. They look like that  _ thing _ .”

The other teenager exhaled through his nose; it was clear he wasn’t going to be able to reason with Akira on this. “Alright then, let’s see what this thing is…”

He turned his attention back to the page and started to read.

“ _ Nyarlathotep _ . The Shadow of the Ideal God. Everywhere that Philemon dwells, so does Nyarlathotep. The dark desires of man, our hatred, our anger, our selfishness and our misdeeds stem from the God of Shadows.” Goro looked up to see that Akira wasn’t looking at the book any more. “The two exist in balance within the sea of humanity's soul. So long as they are in balance, we will never be ideal, but we will never be ruined.”

Goro continued to read.

“In order to reach the Idealians, the scales must be tipped towards those of Philemon. Following the Oracle of Maia, the sacrifice of the ideal one must be made to reach the gates of Xibalba and let humanity ascended to its perfect state. However, if humanity is tilted toward the state of chaos that Nyarlathotep inspires, we will be lead to ruin. The Shadow will come forth and turn back the world.”

Goro turned the page and frowned. “There’s nothing else. I mean, there’s a poem in here-”

“The Oracle of Maia,” Akira filled him in. “Instructions on how to ‘ascend’ to our human ideal.”

“But no instructions on how turning back the world works…”

Akira got up from his place on the bed, “Maybe Grandpa doesn’t know the instructions. Or maybe he didn’t care to write them down. He was only obsessed with the good in people. He wouldn’t write down how to talk to an evil god.”

“But Sudou might.” Goro closed the book. “Accept this offering, Nyarlathotep.” He tapped his fingers on book’s cover. “But if he was your grandfather’s student, why would he go down the opposite path of what he wanted?”

Before either of them could think up an answer, the front door downstairs opened and practically slammed shut.

“Akira!” They both heard Jun call out, his voice cracking as he screamed. Before Akira could respond, they heard the man running through the house towards the back, heading for Akira’s room, still shouting his name. The two teenagers got up and rushed out of the master bedroom.

“Akira, where are you?”

“I’m up here, Pops!” Akira called to him as he came down the stairs. He jumped down the last two and jogged out into the main room to meet his father. Jun came out of the hall running. The man extended his arms to Akira and pulled him into a tight hug.

“Oh thank you, thank you god!” The man started running his hands through his son’s hair.

“P-pops! Pops I can’t breathe!” Akira squirmed in his arms, but Jun still didn’t let go.

“Has anyone come by? Does anyone know you’re here!?”

“Um,” Goro announced himself with a slight noise- he’d gone completely unnoticed.

“Akechi!” Jun looked at him as he held onto his son; as if letting go would mean his son would vanish into thin air. “…Does anyone else know?”

“All of his friends. And Yoshizaka-san,” Goro answered.

Jun nodded, “Okay… Okay.” He lifted his head. “Akira, I need you to go pack a bag. Just the essentials. And hurry.”

“What? Why? What’s going on?” Akira pulled back, confused.

“You can’t stay here. I’ve got to get you out of here. Your father already called me at the shop. We have to hide you.”

“Hide me!?”

“Suou-san,” Goro interrupted, “What’s going on?”

Jun paused before sighing and shaking his head, “Takagawa’s body was found on the beach about thirty minutes ago…” The two boys stood in silence. “Tatsuya said he’s covered in handprints. And he’s convinced that when they run the prints-”

“-They’re going to come up as Akira’s.” Goro looked at the black-haired teen. “Don’t just stand there! Go! Go now!”

“I- But-” Akira fumbled over the silence but finally turned and ran down the hall. Jun put his hand to his mouth as if trying not to throw up.

“Suou-san,” Goro stepped forward, “This book?”

Jun turned to look at his father’s old text.  “ _ In Lak’ech _ ? Why do you have that?”

“I need to borrow it. I think it will help me understand Sudou-san’s motivations.”

“Sudou!” Jun spat the name. The moment it crossed his lips Goro saw something spread across the other man’s face. His expression twisted, for just a moment, into something he would never associate with the florist, not the man he’d only known to have gentle smiles. “You can have it, for now.”

“Thank you…” Goro took a step back. “I’ll help Akira pack.”

“Please hurry.”

Goro made his way back to Akira’s room and stood in the doorway. He saw Akira standing in the middle of his room sending text on his phone.

“Akira?” The other boy looked up, “You’ve got to start packing…”

“I know, I know I just…” He looked back to his phone, “Everyone started messaging me. They all know. They all know he’s been found.”

“Already?” Goro walked over to him.

Akira nodded, “Yeah, Ann says the cops called all the high schools and told teachers to tell students the beach was closed off, but someone goofed and said there was a body… Not Takagawa’s but, they, my friends know.”

“Oh, I see.” Goro took a deep breath. “Well, telling all the students to stay away from the beach is only going to make them flock to it. Come on, you need to get packed up-“ He put a hand on Akira’s shoulder, but the other boy didn’t move.

Akira kept his eyes on his phone, his eyelashes fluttering as he kept blinking back tears. “I- We never got along, you know? Takagawa and I? He hated me from the day I set foot in Kasugayama. Every day was the same with him. He’d hassle me, we’d fight, I’d get in trouble. Never him…” Akira lowered his phone. “And now everyone’s going to say I killed him? Is this  _ why _ ?” Akira turned to Goro, his face twisting up with grief. “Is this why I survived? Just to be  _ blamed _ ? Blamed again for something I didn’t do!?”

“Akira, I-”

“I didn’t kill him!” Akira turned and threw his phone in frustration, watching it bounce on his bed. “I didn’t do anything! All I did was fucking- help that stupid bitch! And I got blamed! I got picked on! I lost one of my best friends! Shamed my parents! And now I’m being framed for murder?” He started screaming at the top of his lungs. “I didn’t do anything to deserve this!”

“…” Goro watched Akira scream at him. Akira put his head in his hands and stood in place. His whole body was shaking.

“Goro… Can you please kill me?”

“What! No!”

“Why not? I can’t do this anymore…”

“I’m a detective, Akira. Not a murderer.” He stood back, “It’s my job to find the truth. I do a lot of things; I chase criminals, I look at evidence, I solve puzzles… But I don’t kill people. Sorry.”

Akira sighed and let his body drop to the floor. He sat there, unmoving. Goro walked around him and start packing up a few things for him. He also dug his proper clothing out of Akira’s closet and got changed with his back to Akira’s listless body.

Once he felt he had enough stuff, he stood in front of Akira and offered him his hand.

“Come on, we have to run.”

Akira took his hand and Goro pulled him up to his feet. The two left Akira’s bedroom and rejoined Jun out in the front room of the house. He was watching the TV, anxiously biting the back of his knuckles as he stood, too on edge to sit. When the boys came back he turned around to face them.

“Got everything?”

“I think so,” Goro said.

“Good. They haven’t announced a suspect yet, so we’ve still got time to get you out of here.” He walked over and held out a small black phone. “Akira, take this and leave your phone here. Clear all your old messages out.”

“A new phone?” He took it from his father.

“It’s just a burner. Tatsuya had it upstairs for emergencies.”

Akira took the phone and started to clear out his other one.

“Where are you taking him?” Goro asked.

“I’m not sure, really. I have to take him someplace they won’t expect to look, but it has to be somewhere familiar enough I know he’ll be safe.”

“Guess I can’t crash with any of my friends, huh?” Akira turned off his regular phone and set it down on the kitchen table.

“Or family either…” Jun sighed and rubbed his eyes. “But there has to be someone or somewhere you’ll be safe.”

Goro contemplated the situation. None of Akira’s friends or family would do, that would be the first place the Chief would order them to look. Even if he stayed at their Hideout, it was outdoors- no running water or protection form the elements. He’d have to frequently leave the location to take care of himself. They needed someplace with someone close enough to them to know Akira wasn’t guilty, but distant enough from them that they wouldn’t be high on the search list…

“What about Yoshizaka-san?” He asked. “She knows you all, but she moved back here after you left Seven Sisters. She only occasionally drinks with Tatsuya. She’s not high on the list of people Akira would be seen with.”

“Anna?” Jun nodded. “That might work… I’ll call her.”

Goro watched Jun move away from them into the kitchen. He turned back to Akira to squeeze his shoulder. Akira was busy putting his friends’ numbers into the new burner phone so he could keep them updated. Akira sent a test message to Goro, pleased to see this number wasn’t blocked.

The detective shook his head as he pulled his phone out of his pocket to look at the new number. He wouldn’t save it, of course. “Tell the others not to save that number and to delete every message you send them after they’ve read it.”

“Got it,” Akira started sending out instructions.

He pulled away find Jun to ask about Tatsuya’s whereabouts. As he entered the kitchen he stopped to see Jun holding up a phone with a blue case to his mouth.

“…Chronos.” He spoke into the phone before pulling the screen away to type something in. Goro backed up until he was nearly out of the kitchen and listened. “Hi, Anna, it’s me…. Yes, I know. I can’t call you from my phone. Listen I- I need a place for Akira to stay. Yes, because of Sudou… … You will?” Jun sighed with relief and lowered his head. “Thank you, Anna. How soon will you home? Okay. I’m on my way now.”

Jun hung up and Goro stepped into the kitchen, “Suou-san?” He watched as the man turned to face him, tucking the phone away. “We’re ready.”

“Good. Anna said she’ll meet us at her home. Let’s go.”

Goro stood and let Jun walk past him. He lingered in place for a moment looking back at the spot where he'd made the phone call.

“Blue phones, huh?” He pressed his lips together before turning on his heels and following Jun and Akira out of the house.

  
  


The drive to Anna’s house was tense. Goro sat up in the passenger’s seat of Jun’s car while Akira laid down in back under a blanket, cradling Morgana to his chest. Jun said nothing the entire drive, only focusing on the road and telling Goro to keep his eyes open in case it looked like they would pull up next to a cop car.

By the time they pulled up to Anna’s home in Yumezaki, Goro was certain Jun had been squeezing his steering wheel so hard that his hands were permanently imprinted into it. He was the first to get out of the car and walk up to the house. He rang the doorbell, and after Anna opened it for a brief normal greeting she let Jun know he could park his car in her shed.

The man got back in and pulled inside, only telling Akira to sit up once the shutter had come down. The trio entered Anna’s house through a side door.

“Hello, Akira,” Anna nodded to the teenager.

“Hi, Yoshizaka-san… Thank you for letting me crash here.”

“It’s no problem. Jun already gave me a bit of info… You’re going to be safe here.” Goro looked around. He noted Anna kept her windows closed up and the curtains drawn. And by keeping them from entering the front door, the chances that anyone knew they’d been here were low. “Come on,” Anna beckoned for them to follow her to the back of the house, “I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.”

The track teacher led them down the hallway and stopped between two rooms. A quick glance showed that one was set up like an office and the other seemed to be full of clutter. Goro assumed she meant for Akira to stay in her little home office until he saw the woman reach up. Overhead there was a latch that she had to slight jump to grab and pull down. The latch gave way to a fold down stairwell.

“Come on up!” Anna started to climb the stairs, but Jun and Goro didn’t. They both turned to look at Akira, whose eyes were fixed on dark rectangle now looming over head. Anna stopped halfway up the stairs. “Is something wrong?”

“Akira?” Jun put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s only for a little bit. I’m sure Anna will leave the stairs down…”

“Is there a light, Yoshizaka-san?” Goro asked her. He didn’t take his eyes off Akira.

“Of course there is.”

“Right. I’ll go up first, then.” Goro pulled away and followed her up the steps. “Be careful it’s a bit dark up here,” she advised him as she reached out to pull on the cord for the light. “There, now we can see.”

The attic was surprisingly less cluttered than the room downstairs. Goro wondered if perhaps Anna didn’t want to lug all her excess junk up here? Or perhaps her back prevented her from doing so. The center of the room was tall enough for them to stand up in without trouble, but the closer one moved to the edges, the more they’d have to crouch to compensate for the slant of the roof. There was no window and it felt a bit stuffy. Anna pushed the few boxes in the middle of the room off to the sides to make a clear space in the middle.

Goro took a quick walk around before heading back to the stairs and shouting down, “Come up. It’s pretty well lit. The air is a bit stale, but no one will know he’s here.”

“If you’re worried about lighting and air, I’ve got an extra lamp and a table fan. Oh! And, uh, I’ve got an inflatable mattress for when Noriko and I go camping. I can bring that up here as well.”

“You hear that, Akira?” Goro could hear Jun trying to coax his son to come up the stairs. “It will be just like camping.”

“…In an attic.” Akira’s voice was flat, but he started up the stairs. He stopped as soon as his head was past the attic floor and looked around. The look on his face was less than thrilled, but he still slowly came up the rest of the way.

“It’s no five star hotel, but it’s a pretty good hideout,” Anna offered him a smile.

“Sure,” Akira set his bag and Morgana down.

Anna exhaled through her nose and glanced at Goro, “Guess I’ll go get that mattress. Wait here.” She walked between them on her way downstairs. Jun came up after her.

He looked around and reached out to put his hands on Akira’s shoulders, rubbing them slowly as he spoke, “I’ll make sure to tell Anna the stairs have to stay down. And the light has to stay on.”

“Can’t I just stay downstairs in the junk room? I don’t mind.” 

“The junk room has a window,” Goro pointed out. “She more than likely thinks someone might see you. This is the best option.”

“This option sucks,” Akira shrugged Jun’s hands off his shoulders and sat down on one of the boxes.

“I know it’s not ideal, sweetheart,” Jun followed him and knelt down to take Akira’s hands. “But it’s either this or- or you could end up in prison.”

“That might actually be better!” Akira pulled his hands away and folded his arms.

“Akira…” Jun hung his head a bit, but the man rose to his feet. “Akira, I promise. This will be fixed. Even if I have to do it myself.”

Anna returned with the mattress and set it up in the middle of the floor. While it inflated, she offered to make them all some tea. She took Jun back downstairs with her, leaving Goro and Akira up in the attic. Akira didn’t move from his box.

“You know he’s just doing what he thinks is best. This place will be safe for you.”

“I already feel like I’m suffocating up here,” Akira countered. Goro moved closer and studied him; he did appear to be having trouble breathing. “I can’t stay here, Goro.”

“Well, where should we put you? Everywhere else is dangerous. If they find you, it’s all over. You’ll be charged with murder.”

Akira unfolded his arms and put his head in his hands. “But why? Why do I have to be charged!”

Goro put his hands on his hips and started pacing. “Someone has to take the fall for this… They always planned for it to be you, but they hadn’t shown clear signs of wanting to frame you... Until-” he paused, feeling his stomach suddenly lurch.

“Until what?” Akira looked up at him.

Goro turned to look at Akira, wide-eyed. He had an answer, he didn’t want to give it. It was him that told Chief Shimazu he couldn’t arrest Akira without evidence, that he needed something that would hold up in court. And what would hold up better than his hand prints all over the body?

“-Until I, I don’t know…” Goro watched Akira sigh and slump back on his box. “What I do know is you can’t go in… You’ll be blamed, not just for Takagawa’s murder, but all the others. Even though only a few of the victims can be connected to you, all of the murders will be pinned on you.”

“I don’t even know half these people,” Akira sighed.

“That’s not the point.” Goro walked over to him and leaned against the attic wall, “The point is you have a history, even if it’s false, coupled with the belief that your episodes make you violent. There’s nothing that could be done to swing this in your favor.”

“What would happen to me then?”

Goro twisted his lips, “Jail? No… More likely, with your condition, the criminal wing of Morimoto.” Goro stopped talking, a second realization hitting him. “And then Sawada can just finish you off with an overdose. Or hand you over to Sudou directly.” He pushed off the wall. “They only let you live so that your death would go unquestioned. If both you and Takagawa died, there would still be a killer on the loose. But if the killer is caught and then dies, Sawada’s operation can continue on without worry!”

Akira got to his feet. “That’s not fucking fair! It’s his fault all of these people are dead! Him and the rest of those mask-wearing Shadows!”

“I know. I know, but now I’ve got to prove it’s them, and faster than before. Once they put out that you’re the primary suspect, all resources are going to go into finding you. Tatsuya will more than likely be off the case… I’ll have limited ways to stall them.”

Akira said nothing after Goro stopped talking. What was there he could say? He couldn’t do anything but sit and wait in his attic purgatory until either the real killers were exposed or he was found and dragged off to prison. Akira walked over to the mattress. It had finished inflating and Anna had left him some sheets to use. He lazily threw a blanket over it before falling face down onto the air-filled cushion. Morgana jumped up onto his back, being mindful of his sore leg.

This was a familiar situation.

Goro walked over and sat down on the spot of the camping bed was available.

“Do you want me to stay up here for a little while?” Akira shrugged, but didn’t move his head. “You want me to bring you your tea?” Another shrug. “Okay.” Goro sat up, looking out over the attic, watching dust float through the illuminated air. He was so busy thinking about what he should do next he didn’t notice Akira’s weight shifting on the bed or his hand grabbing his shoulder to pull him down until it was too late.

“Hey!” Goro flailed for a second while Akira wrapped his arms around the detective’s chest and pressed his forehead into him. “W-what are you doing?”

“I can’t breathe.”

Akira’s response immediately stopped his agitation.

“Are you having an episode?”

Akira shook his head, “I don’t think so. Just can’t breathe.”

“Well, burying your nose into my chest probably isn’t helping.”

“You’re wrong.”

“Fine,” Goro didn’t fight it, instead letting Akira hang onto him while he ran his hands through his unruly black hair. “I’m wrong.”

  
  
  


Goro knew he had made the mistake of falling asleep again when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket, sandwiched between him and the mattress. Akira was still buried face-first into his chest and didn’t seem to be moving any time soon. He really had to stop allowing himself to become so comfortable in these situations. Goro had to squirm to get his arm under their bodies and free it from his pocket. He held the phone out past Akira’s back and looked at the incoming message.

**Takamaki:** Hey! We’re all here at the Hideout. What’s going with Akira? Neither of you are answering his phone.

**Akechi:** Sorry to keep you waiting, Takamaki-san. Things are alright for now. We successfully made it to Yoshizaka-san’s house. Akira is staying with her while we sort this out.

Goro watched Ryuji’s name pop up with the indication he had something to say, but nothing was ever posted.

**Shizu:** That’s good news! But what are you all planning to do from there?

**Akechi:** I don’t know.

**Sakamoto:** I’m not surprised.

Goro sighed and rolled his eyes and sighed.

**Akechi:** Akira is asleep at the moment, but I’ll tell him to text you all as soon as he’s awake.

With that, he closed the messaging app. He pulled Akira off of him. To his surprise, the other teenager didn’t wake up, instead easily rolling onto his back. Goro figured he must be just as exhausted; they did have a long night. As he pulled himself up, he noticed two cups of tea sitting on the boxes pushed to the side.

Morgana had his head down in one of them and was lapping up the still semi-warm liquid.

“Right, not drinking that…” He got up and grabbed the two cups, figuring he should take them back downstairs.

He deposited the cups into the kitchen sink. From there, he could hear a television on in the other room with the news playing, and Jun and Anna’s voices talking just over the broadcast.

“-Well that’s it then,” Anna sighed. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know… I know Tatsuya will tell me to let him handle it, but now the entire city is going to be looking at us. Looking for Akira.”

“You know I can keep him here for as long as it takes,” Anna’s tone sounded friendly, but there was a bit of anxiousness to it. Goro moved closer to the kitchen door and peeked around the corner. He could see the TV and the backs of the two adults. He couldn’t read what was on the screen, but he could see Akira’s face in the corner. “And if worse comes to worse, I can get him out of town-”

“Anna, no! Don’t do anything stupid… You’re already doing so much for me. You’ve already done so much for me.” Jun shook his head.

“Done? What… Oh you mean back then.” Anna rubbed her neck. “Don’t think too much about that. Really, Tatsuya did everything. You know, actually, maybe he should have made good on stabbing Sudou back your place-”

“Anna!” Jun grabbed her shoulder. It almost seemed like he was laughing through his shock.

“We wouldn’t be doing this today if that fight had ended in him stabbing that asshole with that prop-sword.” Anna put her hand over his and laughed. “I mean, sure, he’d probably have to, like, defend himself in court, but it would have been worth it.”

“And here I thought you had changed after all this time!”

“I have changed,” Anna whispered. “Back then, I wouldn’t have condoned killing any one, no matter how wretched they made our lives. Myself I could erase… No one else.”

The two adults stood in silence for a moment, allowing Goro to walk out into the room, “Excuse me, Suou-san? Yoshizaka-san?”

“Oh! You’re awake, Akechi…” Anna turned to him. “Is Akira?”

“He’s still asleep. Ah, thank you for the tea. But all things considered, I think it’s time I left. There’s a case to solve.”

“Right,” Jun said. “Anna, I’ll call you later to check on Akira. I’m going to take Akechi back to Pleiades.”

“Okay. Just, be careful out there, Jun. Don’t do anything crazy.”

Jun walked away from her with an odd smile on his face, “You know me, Anna.”

  
  


Goro insisted to Jun that he didn’t need to take him back to his hotel, but the man would not let up. So the detective prince found himself sitting in the passenger’s seat again, watching Sumaru City fly by at an exceptionally faster pace than usual. He kept flicking his eyes over to Jun. The man was driving with the same silent determination he held when they were heading to Anna’s house.

“…You know, it might be more efficient to just drop me at Ebisu Beach. I know Pleiades is close by there, but I’d still have to walk to the crime scene.”

“I’m not making a detour.” 

“Oh, well, okay…” Goro leaned back in his seat and continued to watch in silence.

When they arrived at the hotel, Jun pulled up into the parking garage and proceeded to get out of his car. The look on his face was growing sterner by the second.

“Suou-san.” Goro jumped out of the passenger’s seat just as the man slammed the driver’s side door shut. “I can make it from here. You should head back-”

“I know you can make it.” Jun stopped walking at the end of the car and looked back at Goro. “I’m going to see Sudou.” With that, he turned and started walking for the hotel lobby doors.

“Wait, you’re going to what? Su-suou-san wait!” He chased after him, having to practically run to keep up with the man’s brisk steps.

Goro wasn’t sure what Jun was thinking. In his opinion, this was madness. They should not be confronting the killer on their own, or, rather, Jun should not be confronting the killer on his own. They needed wait for Tatsuya, or any of the officers on the investigation, hell, even Baofu and Serizawa would do! Walking into the proverbially lion’s den without a plan of attack was madness.

But the man was already storming his way through the lobby of Pleiades so fast there was no time to stop and call for anyone. He couldn’t see Jun’s face, but a quick glance at the receptionist at the desk to Goro his expression was anything other than the pleasant smile he’d come to know him for.

Anna did warn him Jun could be terrifying under the right circumstances.

He finally caught up to Jun at the elevator, but only because he had to wait for the elevator to descend. As soon as the doors opened, they stepped inside. Jun pressed the button for the penthouse and his lips twisted when nothing happened.

Goro leaned forward to observe the panel, thinking out loud, “Hmn, it’s close to the evening, so the elevator access to the top is still restricted. I’m sure if we wait until morning for it to work, we can call your husband and he can come up with a-” in the middle of his sentence Jun pressed the button to open the elevator doors again. Goro started to move anticipating he’d have to run after the man, only to watch Jun fish out his wallet and pull out a key card. He swiped it into the reader next to the button pad before stepping back in and hitting the penthouse button once more.

This time the elevator let out a ping of acknowledgement and the doors shut.

“Ah, you- you’ve had access to the penthouse this entire time?” Goro watched Jun put the card away. From this side, he couldn’t see his face. The man’s dark brown hair was obscuring his eye, but he could see the way his mouth pressed into a flat line of anger.

“I kept it for emergencies.” Jun didn’t turn to face him.

“Does… your husband…?”

“Know?” Jun nodded. He raised his head and looked up towards the ceiling, “You can get off on your floor, if you want.”

“And let you face that mad man alone? No offense, Suou-san, but your husband already wants to kill me over the misunderstanding that I’m out to kill your son. I don’t need him to perceive I’m trying to get you killed too.”

Jun laughed in response to Goro’s statement. But it was dry. He covered his mouth and turned his head toward the wall. Jun turned back to Goro with a smile that had drained the light from his face. The way his one visible eye locked with the detective’s gaze reminded him briefly of the way there was something wrong about Sudou’s stare, or the way Akira’s eyes would gloss over when he was retreating from reality. Perhaps a bit sadder.

“…Fine, come along then. But don’t stop me, no matter what happens.”

He nodded, and then proceeded to stand in silence as they waited for the elevator to reach the top.

Once they stepped off onto the penthouse floor, Jun stopped walking like he was on fire and desperately trying to find water to throw his body into. His steps up to the room doors were much more slow, deliberate. Goro hoped that maybe the insanity of all of this was starting to settle into his mind and he was going to back down.

But when Jun knocked on the door so hard the entire thing shook, that hope flew away.

There was no response, provoking Jun to knock a second time.

This time the door flew open. On the other side Sudou greeted them with a sneer and his one eye  blaze with anger. He was wearing black pants and half buttoned up white shirt, no shoes. Clearly, he was not looking to be disturbed and was ready to give hell to whomever was on the other side of the door. However, that anger dissolved the moment his eye fell on Jun.

“Kashihara-kun?” His hand let go of the door and his lips pressed together. “You’re early…”

'Early?' Goro’s eyes flicked around confused. Was he expecting Jun?

The man ran one hand through his mass of blond hair and looked down. He looked as distraught as Goro was confused. “They said you would come, but I didn’t know- so soon- It’s not done yet-”

“Sudou-san,” Jun interrupted his ramblings. “May I come in?”

“Yes! Come in,” He swung the door open and motioned for Jun to step inside. Goro started to follow, but before he could even get a foot across the threshold, the door was swinging back at him.

“H-hey! We’re together!!” The teenager put his hand out to catch the swinging door. Sudou practically growled at him until Jun spoke up again.

“I won’t stay without him, Sudou-san. Let him in.”

The man hesitated, but let go of the door and left Goro to re-open and close it himself.

“Asshole…” Goro grumbled to himself as he shut the door.

“Do you want something to drink?” Sudou circled around Jun before reaching out to grab his elbow and pull him towards the penthouse’s kitchen. Goro quickly scanned the little entry hall they were in. Nothing unusual there. Through the left doorway he could see a sitting room, with a TV; the news was on. Sudou was dragging Jun off to the right.

“I don’t want anything,” Jun allowed Sudou to direct him over to a floating countertop in the middle of the kitchen.

Goro stood next to him and looked at the junk covering the top. Papers, dozens of them with things scrawled on them. And black images in all manor of shapes and sizes, everything from black swirls, to eyes, to butterflies and non-sense scribbles. And words, long rambling sentences that looked like phrases repeated over and over again. There was a bowl of cereal that looked like it had been sitting out for days half covered in more papers, and there were bottles of unused pills. The teenager watched Sudou open up a cabinet to retrieve a glass.

He looked to his side and look at Jun, who was watching him, his jaw tight and face emotionless. The one-eyed man had now set down two wine glasses and fished out a bottle. He was filling both in spite of Jun saying he wanted nothing.

“Sudou-san, we need to talk,” Jun watched him as he set the glass down in front of him. The florist pushed it to the side, so it ended up in front of Goro, who pushed it away.

“Yes, we do,” the man spoke, completely fixated on Akira’s father. He didn’t even seem to notice Goro was there. “You’re early, but that’s good. I knew you would come back. It was just a matter of time.”

Jun shook his head, “Sudou, I’m not here to stay… I’m here about my son.”

Sudou raised his glass to his lips, “Son?” his one eye stared at Jun vacantly as he tilted the glass up. He started drinking, and kept doing so, tilting his head back to consume the wine in one go. Just a little bit ran past the corner of his lips, racing down his chin and neck to stain the corner of his shirt; he didn’t seem to care, his eye still open staring right at Jun even as his head tilted back. When he finished he sighed and lowered his head. “You don’t have a son.”

“Sudou!” Jun snapped and took a step closer to him. “I’m being serious with you! Stay away from Akira! This is not a warning, this is not a request! It’s a demand!”

Sudou didn’t flinch at the other man’s raised voice. Instead he reached out, bringing his right hand closer to Jun’s face.  For a moment, he hesitated, as if waiting for something, before pushing forward and letting his thumb catch a few of the locks obscuring Jun’ right eye and pushed them away.

In an instant Jun raised his hand and smacked Sudou’s away. He then raised his hand higher and smacked him again, this time across the face, causing his head to turn. To Goro’s surprise, the man didn’t retaliate. “Stop it!” Jun screamed at him, hitting him again. “Stop it, Sudou!” Goro had to wonder how hard the hits Jun was planting on his face were. The man wasn’t reacting, but clearly he was hitting him hard enough for the smack of palm to his face to echo around the room.

“The voices aren't real! They are not real! Akira is! That! Is! My! Son!” Finally, after the last hit, Sudou’s left hand shot up. He grabbed Jun’s wrist and stopped him mid-swing. The taller man pushed back, slowly bending Jun’s arm down until he pinned it against the counter.

With his other hand he again reached up and brushed the excess hair out of Jun’s face, “I know it’s not your fault… They told me. I know the truth… That false Tatsuya corrupted you. He wants to stop me, just like he stopped the oracle.”

“Tatsuya is my  _ husband _ , Sudou…” Jun lowered his voice, he was no longer screaming. “… You need to take your medication again-” at the end of his sentence Sudou ripped Jun forward as he moved away from the middle counter over to one on the side. The man grabbed up a knife from the block pushed against the back wall and turned it to Jun.

Goro immediately moved around the counter, shouting, “Hey! What do you think you’re doing!”

“Stay back!” Jun didn’t take his eyes off the knife or the man holding him. “Just stay where you are, Akechi!”

“That bastard is no one,” Sudou brought the knife up to the left side of Jun’s face. “I am Tatsuya… Don’t you remember? ‘Sudou-this’, ‘Sudou-that’. You used to call  _ me  _ Tatsuya. You used to be  _ my  _ family. He stole you from me!” Sudou jerked Jun again, this time pulling his arm upward so that their bodies were pressed together. “You want me to take that medication! Medication! The same poisons you told me to stop taking!”

“I was wrong.” Jun remained calm, watching the knife now slowly pressing into his cheek with the new position. “I was a kid… And I didn’t take my own medicine. But you need it, Sudou. Look at you- You need it-”

“Shut up!”

“I will not!” Jun snapped back, despite the knife now digging a little bit into his face, “I was wrong!” He was shouting, but not in anger. “You need help, Sudou.  _ Listen _ to me. Like you did back then. Listen to me and not  _ them _ .”

Goro watched the two adults. Despite being told to stand back, he found himself inching forward, one hand on the counter in the middle of the room as he slowly came up behind Jun’s back. Sudou had his gaze focused on the man he was holding; that made it easy to inch toward them.

“The voices aren’t real, Sudou. They aren’t… But I am. Akira is. You can’t take him from me. Do you understand?” Jun asked him, his voice much lower, a lot calmer.

The knife in Sudou’s hand was shaking now, the man was watching a tiny rail of blood trickle down Jun’s face, “S-sensei believed in them… You used to, too-”

“My father was wrong-”

“Don’t say that, Kashihari-kun-”

“He was wrong.” Jun kept talking. “Okumura-san was too. We were all wrong, Sudou. I know it’s hard to accept-”

“Stop saying that!” The blond screamed in his face.

“-But you have to hear it. I am real. The voices in your head aren’t. Please, just lis-”

Sudou cut Jun off this time with a loud and agitated scream. The man pulled the knife up, ready to plunge it down into Jun’s face. Goro started to run forward, but Akira’s father was already acting. Jun lifted his left hand and grabbed at the blade of the knife, letting it cut into his palm to slow its decent. He then kicked out his right leg to connect with Sudou’s knee, sending him off balance. The blond toppled back, but never let go of Jun.

They fell the floor, the knife banging on the side counter and clattering around the floor. Sudou hit the ground first, but pulled Jun with him. The councilman rolled to the side and yanked Jun with him until he had Jun pinned against the floor. Goro jumped when the two toppled over. As soon as the initial shock wore off he ran forward to see Sudou had his hands around Jun’s neck.

“Get off! Get off of him!” The detective rushed forward to close the few feet left between him and the two men fighting when he heard Jun’s voice call out to him.

“Stop! Stay there!” Jun raised his hand, his voice was surprisingly clear for someone being choked. Goro hesitated in mid-movement. Why had he been asked to stop? Sudou was going to kill him, wasn’t he? The teenager put both hands on the counter space to either side of him and watched. The longer he observed, the more it sunk in. The blond was shaking, but his hands weren’t tightening around Jun’s neck. His shoulders and back moved like he was struggling to breathe. Goro couldn’t see his face with that mane of hair falling forward, but he imagined the older man was gasping for air.

“Sudou-kun,” at the sound of Jun’s voice the older man jumped. “You still hear me, don’t you? Don’t listen to them. Listen to me…” Goro watched as Jun carefully raised his hands and put them on either side of the Councilman’s face. His hand that had caught the knife was covered in blood. He kept his fingers curled, making a limp fist to try and keep the blood to himself, but it was oozing out from between his fingers. As a result, it smeared on the right side of Sudou’s face. “You’re not going to kill me. You’re not going to kill Akira.”

“T-the voices-” Sudou interrupted him, “They demand- I have to- to go back. I’m doing this- for Sensei.”

“That’s my  _ son _ , Sudou-kun. That’s my son… That’s my father’s grandson. You’re not going to kill him,” Jun kept his hands on either side of the man’s face. “Say it. Swear it to me, Tatsuya, that you won’t kill my son.”

Sudou said nothing, and Jun took a deep breath. “If you kill him, Tatsuya, you will be taking my family away from me  _ again _ . I know that’s not what you want.”

“Family…” Sudou released one hand from Jun’s neck and used it to push back the hair covering half  of Jun’s face. “You were my family. It should have been the four of us… Sensei, Okamura-san, you… and me…” This time it was Jun’s turn to be quiet. “…The voices have told me… Everything is set. I just have to cut him open… And remove the heart.”

Goro felt his stomach churn at the statement. He wasn’t sure what Jun was thinking, but he watched him lower his hands from Sudou’s face.

“If Akira dies, it doesn’t matter what world, or what place, or what time, Tatsuya. But I will  _ never _ be part of your life again.”

Sudou said nothing after that. Goro watched the man keep his hands on Jun’s neck for what felt like an eternity. He didn’t get off of him, he didn’t let him up. The teenager could only see Jun’s face looking up at him. He wondered what they were both thinking. Did Jun really think this would stop Sudou? Maybe he could reach whatever bit of sanity still prevailed in the depths of his mind.

Finally, the blond let go, pulling back and standing up so that Jun could get to his feet. By now, his left hand was leaving blood everywhere. As if for the first time, Sudou reached out and grabbed his wrist the moment Jun tried to walk away and pried his palm open. And for reasons Goro would never understand, he watched as the councilmen pulled Jun’s palm up to his lips and kissed the cut.

It took all of Goro’s resolve not to gag at the thought of him willingly putting another person’s blood to his lips.

When he let go, he still didn’t speak, instead just watching as Jun backed away from him. Jun kept his eyes on him until he was within reach of Goro. He then turned around and directed the teenager to head toward the door. As they walked backed, Goro turned around to see Sudou wasn’t watching them. Instead, he was leaning on his countertop with his head clutched between his hands and shaking.

Once the door to the penthouse was closed, Goro spoke up, “We should probably take you to the hospital.”

“It’s fine.” Jun was already walking quickly back to the elevator. His left hand clenched tight, and drops of blood were falling behind him.

“That- we should at least bandage it before you drive home!” Goro pleaded with him. “I have a first aid kit in my things in my room. At least, let’s do that much!”

Jun let out a faint sigh, “Fine. If it will make you feel better.”

  
  


Goro took Jun back to his room at the hotel. It was only after he opened the door that he realized this was his first time back in it since Baofu and Tatsuya came to snoop around. Hopefully they at least put everything back the way he left it.  
  
He directed Jun to sit down at the desk in the room while he dug the first aid kit out from the drawer beside his bed. There wasn’t a lot in it: just a couple of bandages, some disinfectant, and cotton swabs. It honestly wasn’t meant for something this severe, but if Jun wasn’t going to go to the hospital, he was going to at least help him stop the bleeding enough to get home.

Jun laid his hand across the desk and let Goro get to work bandaging him up. The teen couldn’t stop himself from constantly looking up at Jun’s face and the distant expression he now wore. The man was looking down at his bloody palm and thinking of some far off place. Someplace Goro had never been or never seen.

He cleared his throat, “So, do you- Do you think that will stop him?”

“No,” Jun said dryly. “But it will buy you time.” His fingers twitched as the disinfectant bubbled around his cut.

“…I see. Well, time is important. I wish he would confess to the police like that.”

“It wouldn’t change anything.” Jun kept watching his hand. “For as long as I can remember, Shimazu had a grip on Sudou. He needs him, for the money from his estate. He lets him do as he pleases, so long as Shimazu gets his.”

Goro frowned. He had a lot to ask, but didn’t know where to start. “Yoshizaka-san said some things that implied you two were close… The things he said back there, that seem to line up with that.”

Jun didn’t answer at first, instead watching Goro press a gauze to his hand and gently laughing about some unknown joke.

“…I moved back to Sumaru City to kill myself.”

Goro stopped working on the cut and looked up at Jun.

“I didn’t have anything worth living for. Oh, sure I was smart. I had a lot of talents. But my life was really hollow… I met Anna and her life was hollow too, but she still had some hope. She didn’t want to admit that to me all the time, but she still had hope. She often tried to reason with me, would point out to me that Sudou was not right, that the way we spent time together was unnerving.”

Jun sighed and tilted his head back, “But Sudou was right. He was what I had for a ‘family’ at the time. It’s my fault he’s running wild now. I should have taken responsibility for him a long time ago.”

“It’s not fair to put that burden on yourself, Suou-san. I mean, you were a teenager and he was an adult. To say you’re responsible-” Goro was cut off by the sound of a sudden and sharp laugh from Jun.

Jun sat up straight and leaned forward to look at him, “I knew exactly what I was doing. I know a lot of teenagers say that. You probably get told all the time you don’t know what you’re doing, but you do, don’t you?”

Goro looked startled. The way Jun was watching him recoil, his eyebrows raised, and eyes wide. A devious smile crept across his face and Goro felt himself shudder.

“I knew what I was doing. Every lie I told. Every fight I tricked someone into. Every person I scammed. Every credit card my mother had that I ran up… Destroyed property. Kicked from school to school. Grown men begging me for my time. I knew  _ exactly _ what I was doing. And I knew what I was doing when I found Sudou and I made him mine. The only thing I didn’t know was that I was going to live to regret it.”

Goro swallowed and pressed his lips together. He simply nodded and resumed wrapping up Jun’s hand.

Once he was done, the man stood up and inspected his work.

“Sudou and I shared one thing in common: we both missed my father. But I learned to move past it… He didn’t want me to live in the past. He wanted me to move toward the future. But for Sudou, the voices will always keep him in a time that’s gone by.” He looked up at Goro. “So, what do you think? Do you think it’s my fault it’s all gotten this bad? Or do you think it’s all the cruelty of fate?”

“I-” Goro shook his head, “I don’t know. I only know the facts… And that is Sudou is a killer. And you’re not. Even if you think you made that killer, you still didn’t take any lives yourself.”

“Hmn,” Jun closed his hand and the sound of Goro’s phone ringing filled the hotel room.

The teenage detective got up to answer, seeing Chief Shimazu’s number on the screen.

“Hello, yes I- I’m aware about the body and the suspect…” He closed his eyes and pinched his nose. “Yes, I’ll be at the crime scene soon. I’m just down the street from it… You’re welcome.” He hung up the phone and looked back to Jun. “I have to go… I guess it would do me some good to get a look at where they found Takagawa. Maybe there’s evidence linking Sudou-”

“There won’t be. You’ll have to find some other way… But I’m confident you and Tatsuya can do this.”

“Thank you,” Goro nodded to him.

Jun left the hotel and Goro set down his phone. He wandered over to the window of his room and looked out, turning his head to get a look at the shore line.

He could see storm clouds rolling in from over the ocean.


	29. Staging a Team

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeey! Sorry I'm late. 1.) I was busy (see: tired and lazy) and 2.) I've kind of hit the chapters that my Beta hasn't done the full review of yet and they're in school so I gotta wait myself. But then even after these chapters were done I was tired. I WAS SO TIRED.
> 
> AND THIS CHAPTER IS SHORT LIKE NOTHING HAPPENS I JUST HAD NO ENERGY TO LOOK AT THE CORRECTIONS. (pray for me god and I'm doing NaNoWriMo next month oof and possibly shuake week DOUBLE OOF PUT UP YOUR HANDS AND GIVE ME ENERGY)
> 
> Anyway, this is another one of those Goro actually does detective-ing chapters! So no new tags! A lot standing around talking! But look at our good detective boy solving the crime!
> 
> come yell @ me  
> [tumblr](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)  
> [@draggynamed](https://twitter.com/draggynamed)  
> 

 

 

By the time Goro arrived at Ebisu Beach, the sun was slowly setting. Thursday was almost over and things hadn’t really progressed well for him since his escape that morning.

The beach had been shut down all day while the cops had been combing it looking for clues. Tatsuya’s group was already down on the sands, talking to some of the officers getting ready to dismantle the scene. Tatsuya himself was across the street, standing against his motorcycle with his arms crossed.

A light drizzle was starting to roll in from over the ocean.

“Might as well get this over with…” Goro approached Tatsuya and cleared his throat. “Suou-san. Hello.”

Tatsuya didn’t turn to look at him. His eyes were focused on the beach across the street.

“I- I imagine this must be difficult for you. But I’m sure a proper look at the evidence will point to the true culprit.”

Tatsuya was quiet. Goro watched the man’s right hand open and close reflexively. He was probably missing his lighter right about now.  
  
“I promise, whatever I find, I’ll report to you-”

“I’m off the case.” Tatsuya finally spoke to him. “Shimazu’s orders. Too much of a conflict of interest to have a detective looking for his son.”

“Of course. That makes perfect sense.” Goro tapped his chin. “Still, you want me to talk to you, don’t you?”

“Do I?” Tatsuya turned to look at him, eyebrows raised.

“I think it’s important, that I speak to you… About everything. Honestly.” Tatsuya’s eyebrows rose. From across the street, Sylvia called out to Goro by the nickname she had assigned him. “Shall I come by Baofu’s agency?”

“Fine,” the older detective pushed off his bike. “We’ll be waiting.”

Goro gave him a nod of affirmation before crossing the street to meet up with Chief Shimazu and Sylvia.

“There you are,” The chief practically snarled at him. The man already had his umbrella up. “The scene’s about to be washed away. Where have you been all day?”

“Dealing with important matters, I assure you.”

“I saw you speaking to Suou, over there. Just so you know, he’s off this case! His son is the killer. I won’t have him interfering with the arrest.” The man curled his lip as he pushed up his glasses.

“We know for sure that Akira is the killer?” Goro asked.

Sylvia frowned. “The prints they pulled off the body match Akira’s. We got it all in evidence. The body was sent to the morgue for autopsy, but there’s also the photos we took. I- I just can’t imagine Akira did something so horrible.”

“There’s no need to imagine,” the chief snipped at her, “we have the evidence. So now it’s up to you to make the arrest.” He turned to Goro, tilting his head to slightly conceal his laughter. “After all, that’s what you said you needed. Is that not right, boy?”

Goro frowned, “Yes, I did say we would need physical evidence… I’ll review everything and join in the manhunt. Just let me walk the area before the storm washes it all away.”

“Fine. I expect this to wrapped up in a matter of days! Understand?”

The two expressed their understanding of the situation as the man walked away. As soon as he was out of earshot Sylvia stuck her tongue out at his back. “Oversized rat.”

Goro laughed at her, “Come on now, be nice. Rats have never done anything to you to deserve that.”

“Ha!” Sylvia pat him on the back and took him over to Akiyama and Udea. “So, we’ve all been busted down to simple crime scene detail and desk duty from here out. Shimazu says we’re ‘too close’ the culprit to do anything else other than paperwork and recording.”

“It’s a load of bullshit,” Ueda spoke with a cigarette hanging from his lips. “If anything, we can find Akira faster than the rest of them!”

“But there’s a question of will we turn Akira in?” Akiyama spoke up. “It is proper practice to keep us from the thick of things at this point. I’ve been at this station long enough to know both Tatsuya and his brother pretty well, and Ueda, you’ve been here for years.”

“Why hold Sylvia back then? Isn’t she new?” Goro turned to the woman.

She shrugged, “I guess because I’ve defended Tatsuya too much… We’re all in the dog house. It’s all up to you, Tokyo, to sort this mess out!”

Goro chuckled. The three adults were looking at him, expectantly. It wasn’t long ago when he they all thought him being here was a joke. Still… It was up to him. Akira’s safety was up to him proving Sudou committed this crime. He felt his heart beat a little faster.

“Don’t worry,” Goro nodded to them, “the truth will be revealed.”

Goro let Sylvia lead him around the beach, showing him where the body had been, discussing the state of it, and handing over the photo’s and witness statements. It had been a couple passing by for a walk that had found Takagawa’s body tucked up into the rocks along the shoreline. His hands had been removed,and he was covered in bloody handprints, sand, and salt water.

Along the beach, tire tracks from a bike along with Akira’s foot prints had been found. The current theory was that he used the bike to carry the body here and then tried to dispose of it in the ocean, only to have it wash back. Of course, Goro knew that was a lie.

Even if Takagawa had been in the water less than an hour, the handprints wouldn’t have been so prominently defined on his body. And he was sure the autopsy would reveal how long he’d been submerged, if at all.

No, they were both brought here and dumped, without anyone seeing a thing. And Goro had to know how. He stayed after the rest of the officers had left and after the rain started falling harder, to continue inspect the beach. There wasn’t much to see. Between the tide and the new rainfall, every impression that had been made was becoming muddled.

“The report says that the tire tracks from the bike went from the body up to the steps…” Goro stood near the rocks where Takagawa was found. “But the photos have Akira walking to the steps from the shallows over there… No bike tracks to his location. No bike tracks towards the body either, only away…”

He had an umbrella in hand now, lent to him by Sylvia. The bike had have gotten onto the beach somehow. But from where? He started walking along the sand, looking at the ground, trying to find anything he could. His feet carried him southeast along the downward curve of the coast, his eyes watching the tide roll in and the rain slowly soak the dry sand.

Until finally he found it. A half mile away from where the body was found, a mess of tire tracks and footprints just at the water’s edge was being reduced to mud by the rain. He quickly snapped a picture and turned around, looking at the path. There was a large indent in the sand coming up from the ocean, like something had been dragged up onto the beach from the water. Judging by the curve and depth, Goro figured it was some sort of little boat.

The bike tracks moved from the mass of footprints back down to the water. He followed them and stopped just before the waves could come up onto his shoes.

“They came up in a small boat… The impression from the bike tracks shows there was a heavy weight on it. Either Takagawa, Akira, or both,” He traced the shoreline with his eyes. “The killer rolled the bike through the water to cover the tracks up the shore to the rocks to dump the boys…. More than likely the killer made sure to sweep away their own foot prints before coming back down here to the boat.”

He looked out over the ocean. “But where did the boat come from?” He watched the water, lost in thought, looking up and down the coast until it dawned on him. As he turned his head to the east for the third time, he spotted the boats docked at the yacht harbor. “A bigger boat! Oh, of course. I bet if I look it up, there’s a boat down there in Sudou’s name!”

He shook his head. “Alright, time to see Tatsuya.”   
  
  
  
  


Goro made his way Sumaru City Investigations on foot. By the time he arrived, the light drizzle had graduated to a steady downpour. He started to wonder if he was just this unlucky to always be out in the rain in this city.

He entered through the front door for once, stepping into the cheap private eye office and spying Baofu behind the counter smoking a cigarette. The man was reading over a few papers when he lifted his head. Goro couldn’t see his eyes, only his reflection staring back at him in the man’s sunglasses.

“So, you came back.” Baofu put out his cigarette into an ashtray on the desk.

“I had to. I told Tatsuya I’d speak to him,” Goro responded.

“Well then, let’s get going. Lock the door behind you.” Baofu led him to the back of the office and opened a door, revealing another set of stairs leading down into the basement. “After you.”

Goro made his way down the stairs, back into the hidden hacker’s lair under the office. From the bottom step he could see Tatsuya sitting at one of the computer stations with a pair of headphones pressed to his left ear as he took notes with his right hand.

The man raised his head as Goro entered the basement.

“Hello, Suou-sa-” Goro’s sentence was cut off by a suddenly green and red blur coming into his vision. Before he could act, a fist found its way into his stomach and knocked all the air out of him. It made him painfully aware of the fact that he hadn’t eaten anything today as all the muscles in his body cramped up and recoiled from the blow. He dropped his suitcase and fell off the bottom stair onto the floor, coughing and wheezing.

“THAT!” Ulala stood over him cracking her knuckles, “Was for this morning!”

Baofu stepped over him shaking his head, “Just glad it wasn’t me for once.”

Goro lay on the floor coughing and sputtering as Ulala and Baofu walked away. Tatsuya got up from his seat and approached him, waiting for him to stop coughing before offering him his hand. Goro reached up and weakly took it, accepting the help up to his feet.

“You going to be okay?”

“I think I’m going to puke…” Goro wheezed out.

“Not on my floor!” Baofu shouted at them. He took Tatsuya’s post, pushing back his hair to put on the headphones.

Ulala sat at the table in the middle of the room and put her feet up, “So, what are we going to do now?”

“Jun’s already removed Akira from our house and set up with Anna. He’ll be fine there for the time being,” Tatsuya informed her.

“Anna?” Ulala’s foot bobbed back and forth in the air over the table, “Yukino’s friend?”

“She’s my friend too.” Tatsuya took a seat across from her. “I knew her before you all did.”

“Yukino?” Goro didn’t sit, he stood at the end of the table rubbing his stomach.

“A freelance photographer that works with Maya,” Tatsuya answered.

“Ah,” Goro coughed a few times, feeling like he was going to spit up bile any second. Ulala had a really mean punch… He had to remember to never anger her again. “Well, yes, she has Akira right now. I went with Suou-san to drop him off. I- also went with him to see Sudou in the penthouse at Pleiades.”

The three adults eyed him for a moment before Tatsuya pulled out his phone and stood up. Goro could hear him talking to Jun as he vanished up the stairs that lead to the back alley. Tatsuya asked his husband two things before the door closed cutting off the conversation: If he was alright and why had he gone to see that madman.

Ulala rolled her head to the side to look at Baofu and hummed. “If Jun spoke to Sudou, then he’s probably really messed up right now.  That should be useful.”

“That would explain all the noise coming out of the hotel right now,” Baofu leaned back in his chair. “He’s been on and off the phone all day with Sawada talking hysterical nonsense about those voices.”

“Jun did say his intention was to buy us time,” Goro responded.

“But time for what?” Ulala sighed. “To get Akira out of town?”

“To catch one of them,” Tatsuya answered her as he came back down the stairs. “We only need one of them cornered for them to give up the others. It’s how they are. It’s how they’ve always been.”

“The best choice would be Sawada,” Baofu took off his head phones and handed Tatsuya a piece of paper. “He’s got the files on all of them.”

“But, like Sudou, he’s kept under the most watch,” Tatsuya took the paper from Baofu and walked over to the table to set it down. “And Miho keeps herself holed up in club Zodiac, but Akira told me she was meeting with Chizuru last night.”

“Ishigami was there?” Goro looked down at the paper Tatsuya had set down. It was notes jotted down from a transcript of calls between the two women.

“She arrived after you left… I think we should target Chizuru. She’s from the old group of New World Order members. She’s more likely to flip on this new batch. She’s only stayed for the money.”

Ulala sat up as well. “Man, I still can’t get over how much I was into Wang Long fortunes and this whole New World Order situation went and ruined it for me.” She sighed, “I thought I finally found a surefire way to secure the perfect man.”

“As long as you keep looking, you’ll never find anything that’s ‘perfect’,” Baofu scoffed at her.

“I didn’t ask you!” Ulala clicked her tongue at him before returning her attention to the two detectives. “What’s your plan?”

“We have to bring her into custody for an unrelated crime,” Tatsuya leaned on the table. “Since I’m not on the serial killer case, I’m free to do so.”

“These conversations from the Zodiac club clearly show she’s using the connection to laundry money through Miho…” Goro looked up from the papers. “But even bringing her in on that would cause Chief Shimazu to question what we were doing.”

“She’s got a temper,” Baofu pointed out. “It’s subtle, but there. It comes out when you attack her pride. I’ve seen her get real bent out of shape with other occultists. We’ve gotten the reports through the Darkside of Sumaru City. She’s not above personal revenge and attacks against anyone that she feels makes her look like a fool.”

“Hmn,” Goro pressed his lips together. “Does it have to be another occultist? What about other celebrities?” Goro watched as the three looked at him. “You mentioned before she has a thing for others that share the spotlight. What if one if someone steals it from her instead?”

“…You?” Tatsuya crossed his arms considering Goro for a moment. “That might work.”

“You’re going use the kid as bait?” Ulala looked a bit worried. “Didn’t Jun already get on you and Katsuya about this before?” she muttered under her breath.

“We can get Akechi onto a show with her to rile her up.” Tatsuya ignored her statement, “And when she comes for him, take her in for assault. It’s a completely unrelated charge.”

“And” Baofu chimed in, “You’ll have to confiscate her phone upon bringing her in. And it’s going to be full of calls to Miho and a few unlisted numbers.”

“Numbers that belong to Miho’s boss back in Tokyo.” Tatsuya added.

“Ah, I see. So, we bring her in for one charge, link her to mob activity,” Goro held up both his hands as he spoke, “But offer her a deal out for testimony against Sudou.” He brought his hands together and folded his fingers as he finished speaking.

“Exactly,” Tatsuya nodded, “And we don’t have a lot of time to do this. It would be best to act immediately.”

“She shoots a live show tomorrow afternoon,” Baofu pulled out another cigarette. “Think Silverman can get the kid onto SUMAsumaSUMARU?”

“If anyone can pull some strings by batting their eyelashes it’s her. I’ll give her a call,” Tatsuya said.

“What is Suma-sumaru?” Goro turned to Ulala.

“It’s a talk show that runs on the weekends. Usually covers local hot topics and celebrities. A classmate of Sonomura-san’s is the host. Lisa’s been on it before, and so has the girl she’s now producing, that idol ‘Venus’.”

“I see,” he nodded. “Hmn, I suppose the new to town detective prodigy is a good fit for such an appearance.”

Tatsuya nodded, “We’ll spend tomorrow morning working out things with Lisa and Uesugi-san, the show’s host. Until then, you’ve got to stick to the Chief. Really make him think you’re all for capturing Akira. You’re going to be the face of this investigation, so make sure they think you’re on their side.”

“Don’t worry, I can handle it.”

  
  


A few phone calls later, and a few promises of dinner with Tatsuya and Jun, Lisa had promised she could get Goro onto the talk show for tomorrow afternoon. Tatsuya and Ulala were going to set up a stakeout around the station parking lot to catch Chizuru on her way to ‘get back’ at Goro.

That evening, before they left, Ulala helped him put together a script of what to say to get under her skin. She was their local Wang Long expert; she knew what would best make Chizuru angry.

Once they were set on their preparations for the next day, Goro left, heading out through the back door. Outside, the rain had stopped and the sun had set. Tomorrow was going to be a long day and he had to get ready. As he was making his way through the alley, Tatsuya’s voice called out to him.

“Akechi, wait.” He watched as the man walked up to catch him, hands in his pockets. “Let me walk with you for a bit.”

“Oh, certainly.” Goro started out of the alley, and down the street, not saying much at first. “You know, Suou-san, I understand this has all been difficult. But thank you for trusting me with this-”

“I don’t completely.” Tatsuya cut him off. “But I don’t have much of a choice.”

“Hmn” Goro’s eyes drifted down to the pavement as they walked. “Look, I- I’m- No one else knows about my father.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Goro stopped walking, stopping just under a street light. “You’re the first person to ever approach me about it. No one knows. He doesn’t even know.”

Goro watched Tatsuya consider him, humming a strange noise to himself as he did when deep in thought. “You might not be a bad kid, Akechi Goro. But you are a kid tangled up in something. Something I don’t want my son to be a part of.”

“I understand that, Suou-san. I’m just trying to help. I promise I really do care about Akira’s safety.”

“Do you now?” Tatsuya looked away from him, rolling his shoulders, “You know, all this is going to be over, and then you’ll probably never see each other again, right?”

“I’m- aware of that fact, yes,” Goro nodded.

“Hmn. Just don’t forget it when the time comes.”

“When the time comes?”

“Yes,” Tatsuya turned around. “And be careful around the station. Akira said the person that grabbed him smelled like cigarette smoke and got out of a police vehicle.”

“Smoke?” Goro tapped his chin and then looked at the other detective, wide-eyed. “So you’re thinking it’s-”

“Yeah, they’re probably working together. Been spying on us for while… They’ll be spying on you too. Got it?”

“I’ve got it, thank you. I’ll keep an eye on them, and let you know if they slip up.”

“Great, now go get some rest. You’ve got a big performance tomorrow.” Goro watched Tatsuya walk away from him, making his way back to Baofu’s lair.

After the man was out of sight, he resumed his walk back to his hotel, keeping his eyes upward, watching the lights of the tall building as they rose up over the Narumi district. He only looked down once, when he could see the yacht harbor form the street. He stared out at the boats and then kept his eyes on the parking lot as he passed by.

There weren’t many cars present this time of night, but there was a patrol car and a black car.

“Akira said they took his lighter… If I can prove they have it, then I can prove they were there.” It was a long shot, but it was a fact he had to keep track of. For now, he had a television show to get ready for.


	30. SumasumaSUMARU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, whenever Rover gets something edited, and I go through and do my part I will post! I admit I'm not sure when the next one of these will go up as my beta's school life is way more important than working on my drivel. And I've hit the end of the chapter's currently edited. Though I WISH you guys could see some of Rover's comments on these chapters... cause other than the parts where I'm being yelled at, their comments always make me laugh. Specially when they're just sound effects.
> 
> So that being said a few new tags for some more violence~ wooo~ *cough* I mean violence! Gosh darn how awful.
> 
> In the mean time if you want come yell @ me  
> [tumblr](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)  
> [@draggynamed](https://twitter.com/draggynamed)  
> 

 

Goro arrived at the police station Friday morning bright and early. The atmosphere around the Konan Police department was anything but pleasant. Considering a suspect had been named in series of serial killings around the city, one would expect the department to be full of energy, for officers to be looking forward to getting out and tracking the culprit down. Instead, the air around the place felt sour as he entered the building.

Too many of the officers knew Tatsuya or knew his brother. There might have been corrupt ones among them, but there were still plenty of good cops. And enough of them had the sense or concern to wonder if they were going down the right path hunting down the son of one of their own.

He knew he should have made his way to the Chief’s office first thing, but Goro spied Sylvia making her way across the downstairs lobby and out the back door. He followed her, entering out into a small alcove behind the station.

Immediately, the smell of smoke hit his nose.

“This sucks!” Goro heard the woman shouting before he even laid eyes on her. She was standing around the side of the doorway with Ueda. Both of them were smoking, just like before.

“Yeah, I know, but what are you going to do? Go against orders?” Ueda took one last puff from the cigarette in his lips.

“Maybe! Didn’t Akiyama say Katsuya did that once? Oh- or it could be like one of those crime dramas! We go behind the scenes! Get the truth!” Sylvia was just getting started on her cigarette, voicing her anger through rambling banter.

“This ain’t a crime drama. Tell her, Tokyo,” Ueda said as Goro approached them.

The woman turned around and offered him a polite wave.

“I’m afraid he’s right, Sylvia-san. Tatsuya has already been removed from working on this, and while you all have been regulated to desk duty, it would be best to not get yourselves in trouble…” Goro looked between them. “Thought I want to know, what’s gotten you so excited?”

“Just that I was told to stop going through the evidence they confiscated from Tatsuya’s house!” She scoffed. “They took Akira’s phone and his laptop… Some beat cops are out interviewing his friends today. But honestly,  _ we  _ would be much better at getting his friends to talk, don't you think?”

Ueda scoffed at her and tossed his finished stick to the ground, “Those kids aren’t going to give Akira up. You’ve met them. They’re tighter knit that half the force is.” He pulled out his pack of cigarettes and pulled a new one out with his teeth. As he put the box away and began digging around in his pockets, Goro watched. The teenager feeling his breath stop for just a moment as he waited to see what the officer pulled out.

But it was just a pack of matches. Goro sighed.

“What about you, Tokyo?” Sylvia asked. “You must know where Akira is, right?”

Goro paused for a moment; of course he knew were Akira was. He glanced at the man beside her, staring intently. “I haven’t seen him in almost twenty-four hours now. He also hasn’t contacted me. And I doubt his friends will tell me anything… One of them, Sakamoto, isn’t particularly fond of me.”

Ueda laughed, barely parting his lips.

“Well, you better head inside,” Sylvia said. “Chief Shimazu has been in a  _ stellar _ mood all day. He’ll be thrilled to see you.”   
  
  
  


Sylvia’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on Goro. His mood, as he made his way up to the Chief’s office, was far from thrilled. He didn’t want to deal with this man, but Tatsuya told him he had to keep playing the game.

He stopped just short outside the man’s office. He had been planning to head straight in and get things over with when he heard voices coming through the door. Goro leaned in and listened carefully.

“-Yes, the funds were transferred this morning.” He could hear Shimazu talking to someone, but not what they were saying. He was more than likely on the phone.

In addition to his voice, he heard another person mumbling and rambling in inconsistent tones.

“Great,” Goro sighed, “Sudou is here…”

“I need him- I need him now, everything. EVERYTHING. It’s falling apart… I need the boy-” the pitch of the man’s voice kept spiking and dropping back down.

“You need to calm down, Sudou. I told you,” Shimazu was speaking now, as if he was trying to comfort the man, but it sounded insincere. “You’ll get everything you desire. We just need to wait for the mone-”

“I can’t wait any longer!” The sound of Sudou yelling was followed by a loud crash.

Goro put his hand on the doorknob and pushed it open in a hurry, “Shimazu-san!” He looked into the room to see half the contents of the Chief’s desk on the floor. Sudou was leaning over the top; he’d grabbed the head of the police department by the ends of his coat and was shaking him.

“The voices!” Sudou hissed. “I need him now! We need him now! The time is now! Now!  _ NOW! _ ”

“Sudou-san! Stop!” Goro set down his briefcase and held out his right hand to the councilman as he turned to face him. “Let him go. He’s not the one you want, right?” He approached him, keeping his hands up and trying to remain calm. “If he’s hurt, every officer in the building will come up here to shoot you.”

Sudou was grinding his teeth together as Goro spoke, “You- you  _ brat. _ Don’t think I don’t see you- I know what you are. They told me already…”

Goro shook his head, confused; he had no idea what the man was talking about. “Fine, you know what I am, but that doesn’t matter. You have to stop.”

“Sudou,” The chief spoke up. He appeared very calm for a man who’s life was being threatened, as if he were used to it. “I told you, you’ll have the boy soon. You’ll have everything you want soon… Go back to your hotel and just wait. I will call you as soon as things are ready…”

There was a moment of pause before Sudou let go, practically shoving the man away as he stood up straight. He started towards the door, but stopped when he was close enough that he could lean into Goro’s face. His one eye fixed on the teenager’s stare.

“I hear you…  _ Mocking me. _ Just like that other one…” He looked back at Shimazu. “You won’t get away with it much longer.” Sudou turned back to Goro. “None of you will exist much longer.”

With that, he left, slamming the door behind him.

Goro cleared his throat and anxiously straightened his tie. “That man is… He’s coming apart.”

“He stopped talking his medication again. Take a seat,” The chief stood and started picking up his fallen items.

“Aren’t you worried about him?” Goro grabbed his briefcase and did as he was told. “How are you going to deal with his instability?”

Shimazu chuckled. “I could care less about his mental state. All that matters is that the last few transfers from his estate go through and that boy, Akira, is arrested.” The man put his papers back on his desk before standing over Goro with a sinister smile. “Which you will accomplish.”

“Well, yes, of course.” Goro couldn’t quite look him in the eye, but he still looked up at his face. “But Sudou is dangerous. He’ll kill you as soon as his delusions tell him to.”

“I told you not to worry about Sudou. A cleaner is on their way to deal with him.” The man laughed, “Paid for by his own accounts.”

“A… Cleaner?” Goro questioned.

“I told you, the murders will be dealt with. You just bring in the suspect. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Goro nodded. “If that’s all you wanted to tell me, then I should go. I’ll find Akira, and bring him in.”  
  
  
  
  
“The Cleaner!” Both Ulala and Baofu shouted at Goro from their seats. The two investigators were sitting around in the lair underneath their storefront, going over the plan for that night one last time when the teenager arrived. Tatsuya was nowhere to be found. Apparently he was ‘keeping busy’ until he would be needed at the station.

“Um, to be fair,” Goro corrected them. “Shimazu said ‘a cleaner’ was coming.”

“Look, there’s only one ‘Cleaner’ when it comes to these guys, kid.” Baofu turned his computer and started typing something.

“Hey hey, is Akira going to be okay?” Ulala turned to him.

“As long as he stays in hiding. Besides, they said they’re only bringing him in for Sudou- here,” Baofu motioned to his monitor. Both Ulala and Goro made their way over. “In the past twenty-four hours, there have been several transfers out of Sudou’s account into a secure one at Palace Bank in Tokyo. From there, more has been transferred out and split.”

“Geeze, they’re going to take all his money and hire a killer to get rid of him with it? What a bunch of scumbags.” Ulala put her hands on her hips as she read over the screen.

“That’s how they’ve always been: cannibals. Once you’re no longer needed, you’re dead. Unless you’re at the top.”

Goro turned away from the computer, a bit distressed at first, thinking about the fact that someone he knew and respected was possibly connected to these people. But it was a feeling he had to squash down. “Do you think this news will turn Ishigami?”

“It will be in our favor to let her know about it. Just because the Cleaner is coming for Sudou doesn’t mean he’s the only target.”

Goro held his chin in his left hand. “And what do you two know about this ‘Cleaner’?”

“He’s a mafia hitman,” Ulala explained, “but he was scouted by the New World Order for their jobs. Head executive Samael himself brought him in.”

“All of his hits are ‘clean,’” Baofu interjected. “There’s little to no evidence foul play was involved. Just terrible accidents or tragic suicides.”

“S-suicides?” Goro lowered his hand. He felt his chest constrict.

“He’s not the kind of person you want to cross, kid. If he really gets here, you leave him to us.” Baofu told him.

“I- well,” Goro started to open his mouth to protest, but Ulala and Baofu turned to face him, their stares very definitive. “Fine. I’ll let you catch him. But I’d like to talk to him.”

Baofu snorted. “You think he’s the type to be taken in alive, do you?” The hacker turned back around in his chair. “You two better head to the television station to get ready. Get the kid’s wire ready and I’ll be watching from here.”

Ulala nodded and started up the staircase. Goro followed her.

A man hired by the Order to stage killings as accidents and suicides. He may not want to be taken in alive, but Goro would make sure he got the chance to talk to him, sooner or later.

  
  
  


At the television station, Goro and Ulala were greeted by Lisa Silverman down in the lobby. She brought them up to the dressing rooms where Tatsuya was sitting on his phone talking to his husband and drinking a cup of coffee. He looked like he hadn’t slept in over twenty four hours. Once the group entered he hung up with Jun.

“Oh man, Tatsuya…”Ulala walked around the room to sit next to him. “Boy, you’ve got bags under your eyes that look like you’ve packed for a trip to America! Are you okay?”

The detective raised his cup to his lips and finished off his coffee. “Well, my son is on the run from the law, I was kicked off my case, and I spent all last night in the emergency room with Jun while he received stitches in his hand.” Tatsuya shrugged his shoulders. “So, you know, it’s been a normal Friday.”

“He’s also on his eight cup of coffee,” Lisa crossed her arms and twisted her lips into a worried smile. “I think when all this is settled, we should take him to Destiny Land.”

“Oh! Yeah! And get him a little pair of puppy ears!” Ulala nodded.

“I’m not wearing ears.” Tatsuya got up from his seat. “Lisa, can you just get the kid into makeup?”

“I’m on it, Chinyan,” the blonde uncrossed her arms and smiled before grabbing Goro by the shoulders and directing him to take a seat. Lisa was going to do his stage makeup while they went over the plan. They didn’t want to risk having an extra pair of ears hearing anything they were talking about.

“Alright. In addition to you and Chizuru, Junko is also on the show tonight,” Tatsuya walked over to the coffee pot in the room and poured himself another cup, “Do your best to not let her out talk you, so you can keep Chizuru’s attention.”

“Everything you pick up on the wire we gave you is being recorded by Baofu. He’s also got a feed on all the security cameras, so once the show is over, he’ll be telling us where you are and where she is. Just make sure after you leave the dressing rooms you come straight to the garage.”

“Right,” Goro tried to keep his answers short and his face still while Lisa worked.

“And you remember the fake fortune I told you to read out for her right?” Goro gave a hum of acknowledgement to Ulala. “Good,” the redhead walked over to the desk and set down a butterfly charm and a gold dragon. “Here are your props. Think you can be as dramatic as she is?”

Goro smiled, and tilted his head away from Lisa for a moment to give Ulala the fakest smile and wink he could manage, “Don’t worry, Serizawa-san, I’ve been on enough television shows to fake a wide range of emotions.”

“Hey! Don’t move!” Lisa grabbed his chin and tilted him back into place, “TV pro or not, you can’t go out there looking second rate. Kurosu-san’s going to be sitting next to you and she’s easily the most critical eye in the world.”

“Ah, yes. Sorry…” Goro straightened back up and let her finish. Once Lisa was done, she asked him to follow her down to the set. For now, Ulala and Tatsuya would stay behind in the dressing room and get ready.

Lisa left first with Goro following behind her. As the teenager was closing the door, he heard Ulala speak to Tatsuya.

“Hey, just so you know,” Goro lingered at the door, not quite pulling it shut all the way. “The kid said Shimazu mentioned the Cleaner was coming to town.”

“What?” Tatsuya's response sounded panicked. That was not a tone Goro was used to him displaying.

“Baofu said he thinks it will be fine, since Akira’s in hiding, but I figured you’d want to know sin-”

 

“Goro!” Lisa called to him from down the hall. The teen pulled the door closed the last half inch and turned to her, running down the hall to catch up. “What happened? Did you forget something?” She tapped her foot impatiently as he approached.

“Oh no, I just thought I heard something… Please, lead the way!” Goro motioned with her arm to keep walking. He kept his eyes focused ahead, but he was thinking about the dressing room the entire way down to the set.

Lisa took Goro down to the SumasumaSUMARU set and introduced him to the host Uesugi. The man was wearing a burgundy suit, with a purple shirt and matching circular purple shades. His brown hair was slicked to the side, and he wore brown dressed shoes shined enough that one could see their reflection in them.    
  
“So this is the last minute addition?” Uesugi looked Goro over with a bright smile. One clearly coached from years of smiling in front of cameras. “Now whatever you all are planning isn’t going to happen on air is it?”

“Planning?” Goro asked with an anxious chuckle. “We’re not planning anything-”

Lisa sighed and cut Goro off. “Hidehiko, give my Chinyan some credit. Nothing is going to happen to your show. We’re just using it to set the stage.” Lisa turned to Goro. “Don’t worry, he’s not completely in the know, but-”

“-But I went to school with Maki!” Uesugi adjusted his sunglasses. “And I know that if she and Silverman are hassling me to pull strings and get you on tonight’s show that they are all up to something.”

“I see. Well in that case, sorry if we’re inconveniencing you.” Goro bowed his head slightly.

Uesugi shrugged. “As long as the ratings are good, I don’t really mind! You’re my last guest out for the night, so enjoy the show up until then!”

Goro stayed backstage, watching the show get underway. The stage was set up with a semi-circular arrangement of chairs with Uesugi on one side and his guest on the other. First out was Akira’s grandmother, promoting the new show she was producing, as well as a fancy collector’s set of all her old movies with commentary. She went on to talk about the show, herself, and a great number of things. Her grandson and the allegations that he was a murder were never brought up, however.

“I’m surprised to see you here,” Goro heard a thick accented woman’s voice from behind. He turned around to see Chizuru watching him, a bag under her arm with her cat’s head sticking out. “What trouble are you here to cause?”

“Trouble? Why do you think I’m here for trouble?”

Chizuru scoffed. She reached up to brush one of her longer black bangs out of her face, slightly twisting it around her finger as she did so. “You know, if you slip up now, you’ll be part of the cleanup of this mess as well. Just because others claim you are no trouble doesn’t mean you are worth trusting.”

Goro pressed his lips together; her statements were too vague. In response he laughed light-heartedly, “Ishigami-san, I assure you I was merely invited here to give my ‘perspective’ on the case that’s been plaguing the city. I have, after all, solved many cases. And facts are a much more appealing draw to many than the fiction of fortune telling.”

Chizuru sneered at him, “You are so sure of yourself, but I know your future. It’s set in stone for types like you. You’re walking a line and trading between light and shadow. The shadow will eventually overcome you and that light-hearted smile of yours will crack-” She snapped her fingers. “And then we will see whose side you are really on.”

After that, she walked out from behind the backstage curtain to get into place. Goro frowned at her. He pulled out his phone and punched in Akira’s number before sending him a message.

  
  
  


Akira was going out of his mind since he took to hiding Anna’s attic. He was allowed to move around the house during the day, just so long as he kept the windows shut and the noise down. Anna didn’t make him stay in the attic, and the stairs leading down were always open, so if he could help it he was only in there when he felt the need to sleep.

However, he was bored out of his mind all day. He didn’t want to contact his friends out of fear someone might be watching, instead letting them text him when they could. That meant he spent most of the day doing nothing. He tried watching TV, but as he flipped through the stations he kept seeing reports about the crime he was accused of. The only channels not showing his face during commercials were kid shows.

So he found himself watching reruns of Featherman and other anime and playing with Morgana until late afternoon when Anna returned. Everyone else sparingly texted him throughout the afternoon, letting him know the cops had come around to question them.

He didn’t hear from Goro at all until after sundown.

**Goro:** Akira, are you awake? If so, you need to watch the next segment of SumasumaSUMARU.

Akira stared at the text, confused.

“Yoshizaka-san.” Akira made his way into her front room. The TV was off, and the woman was going over a bunch of papers from school. “Do you mind if I turn on the TV?”

“Sure,” she shrugged. “It won’t bother me any. Just let me know when you’re ready for dinner.”

Akira moved around her work space and turned on the television. He took a seat on the floor and Morgana jumped up into his lap. He was doing better, but Akira still noticed him limping from time to time. He really wanted to take him to a vet, but that was not an option…

He landed on the correct station just as the shows was coming back from another break. He turned down the volume to ensure he didn’t brother Anna.

“Alright! Let’s continue on to our final guest of the evening!” Akira watched the host speaking to the camera and audience. He’d met the man a few times when he and his parents would stop off at the station to see Lisa. “Now, we normally make it a point to host local celebrities on the show- but tonight we have an exception, not that I think any of you will be displeased. I’m sure you’ve seen this young man intrepidly making his way around town. He’s only nineteen, straight from Tokyo, and leading the investigation behind Sumaru City’s biggest criminal case this year- Let’s welcome the Detective Prince, Akechi, Goro!”

Akira watched as Uesugi motioned to a set of curtains that pulled back to reveal Akechi. Goro was standing confidently with a smile on his face and both hands on his hips, feet apart. He raised his left hand to hold his chin and winked at the camera as it focused on him.

Akira immediately turned up the volume and pulled out his phone, texting everyone to turn the program on right away.

Everyone smiled and clapped politely as Goro took a seat in the one of the empty chairs. However, Junko and Chizuru offered reserved smiles and subdued side glances at him as he took a seat.   


“Thank you for having me on, Uesugi-san!”

“No, no, thank you for accepting the invitation on such short notice. Sumaru City has been racked with fear over these serial killings. And while we know you can’t speak much on the matter, we felt it would greatly assure our audience to have a member of the force on the show to put everyone’s minds at ease.”

**Ryuji:** What the hell is he DOING!?

**Ann:** I’m sure there’s an explanation… Akira, did he tell you this was happening?

**Akira:** He only texted me right beforehand.

“-And we promise, the Konan Police department will not stop until this criminal is apprehended and brought to justice.” Akira looked up from his phone right at the end of Goro’s words. The crowd applauded. It was strange- why did he tell him to watch? This was not making him feel better.

**Yuuki:** Wow, I watched the recordings of his interviews. But live his stage presence is overwhelming. No wonder all the girls like him.

**Shiho:** Don’t get discouraged! Not girls are into that kind of bravado.

**Ryuji:** I wouldn’t give him a single bravo even if it the best show I’d ever seen!

**Ann:** That’s not what that means!

**Akira:** Besides, he’s not into girls.

**Etsuko:** Did you get that in writing?  
  
“Such confidence! Wow!” Uesugi clapped along with the audience. “I guess we can say it’s safe to say this case will be wrapped up soon, then!”

“Yes.” Goro turned to look at the camera. “I can say confidently that  _ all  _ guilty parties involved will be apprehended and brought to justice.”

“All parties, you say?”

In his hands, Akira felt his phone vibrate, but he didn’t take his eyes off the screen. Instead, he was looking at Goro, convinced the detective was looking at him.

“Yes, I have good reason to believe that there is more than one suspect. Once we’ve got the killer, everyone involved with him will be exposed.” The audience murmured a bit at Goro’s statement.

“Ah! And what brought you to this conclusion? Some very obvious evidence? A communication left by the killer?”

Goro tilted his head to the side and laughed, “Actually, if I tell, you will think I’ve probably lost my mind… Ah! But why not! The walls are already closing in! There is no place for them to run-” Goro reached into his coat and pulled out the Wang Long statue. He waited for everyone to finish muttering to themselves about it. Akira noted that next to him Chizuru shifted in her seat. “As you know, Wang Long fortune telling is extremely popular here in Sumaru City! And while I must admit I was rather skeptical at first, it was a chance encounter I had with none other than Ishigami-san here that made me look into it!”

He held the statue up, “All of the predictions she held for me came true, as such I did some research on it while working on the case. You could say in away my own workings of divination put into my hands a series of clues that undeniably shows that there is more to this case than just one disgruntled killer!”

Again, Goro waited for the crowd to talk among themselves: some in disbelief about Goro’s claims, some just outright wondering if the teenager was pulling a prank.

**Ryuji:** OKAY. He’s lost his mind!

**Etsuko:** Really? He’s superstitious? Didn’t see that coming…

“This is absurd!” It was Akira’s grandmother that spoke up next. “To think that they hail you as genius? And this is how you solve cases?” The woman folded her arms.

Goro shook his head, jumping in before she could take over the conversation. “I understand your skepticism on the matter, Kurosu-san, considering your connection to the case. However-!” Goro stood up and this time pulled out the butterfly charm Ulala had given him and holding it up. “I’ll prove it, by predicting right here and now, the next break-through of this case!”

Akira watched as Chizuru sat up, her gaze glaring holes into the back of Goro’s coat.

“Are you ready? Pay close attention. I made sure to study how this works very closely…” Goro kept his eyes fixed on the camera, but he had to know the fortune teller was glaring daggers at him. “As you may or may not know, I was born in June! That makes my Dragon navy. As I cannot predict the fortunes of a killer I’ve not met yet I can only predict for myself- observe!”

As Goro raised the charm and started to mimic Chizuru’s exaggerated fortune telling motions.

“I’m not quite sure I understand what he’s playing at,” Anna said. It seemed she had stopped working a long time ago to watch the show.

“Neither do I, but he told me to watch.”

At the third pass of the chime, Goro stopped and held the charm up, “I see, in the future of my case, a moon dragon wrapped in Kegare. A figure that invites mysticism and holds passion in its heart- but now it’s overrun with the shadow of mankind. I see a deadly figure pulling the strings and standing behind a purple one, pulling its actions until both are overshadowed.”

The audience tentatively clapped and Goro took a seat next to Chizuru. He didn’t even look at the woman.

“Ohhh! And interesting prediction! But you’ll have to forgive me,” Uesugi said, “I was never good at interpretation.”

“It simply means that catching the killer will reveal that they are under the orders of someone else.” Goro leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and folding his hands together. “And that someone else is watching now- I look forward to seeing you face to face.”

“Is he… inviting them to come kill him?” Anna looked down at the back of Akira’s head.

“…I hope not…” Akira picked up Morgana and squeezed the feline to his chest. He wasn’t sure he was fond of tonight’s program.

  
  
  


Backstage after the program, Goro leaned against a wall, watching staff take down the set. He pulled out his phone eyeing the screen to see if Akira would text him, but he didn’t get to consider it for long before he heard Junko’s voice in his ear.

“Hmph! I have to say, I’m wholly unimpressed.” Junko was scowling as she approached him. “What a childish display! And here I thought that you were more of an adult than most your age.”

“Kurosu-san, you didn’t enjoy my prediction?” Behind her, Goro spotted Chizuru still glaring at him before she turned and stormed off. He looked back up at Junko, “I assure you, it’s not an uncommon thing for police to seek outside help.” He smiled up at the woman. “Psychics, mediums, and the like have been consulted before. I understand they are widely popular among celebrities as well?”

“You are nothing more than a fake!” She turned her nose up at him, “Getting live on air and spouting nonsense...Telling the city to fear my Aki...”

“Ah, is that why you’re resentful?” Goro batted his lashes and laughed, “If that’s all then, Kurosu-san, you have nothing to fear. To think I just assumed you disliked fortune telling because it couldn’t predict your next wrinkle.”

The woman let out an indignant scoff. This time Goro stopped smiling.

“You should learn to have more faith, Kurosu-san. I never said the killer being pulled was Akira,” Goro spotted Lisa coming down the hall and pushed off the wall. “I’m sure we’ll see each other again. I don’t need a fortune to tell me that, so I do hope we can get along in the future!” He waved as he dipped around her to meet up with Lisa and head out.

“Were you fighting with Kurosu-san back there?” Lisa asked him, keeping a hand on his shoulder.

“Not fighting, just picking up from last time, really…” Goro glanced back at Junko.

“Well come on, we’re to pick up your things from the dressing room and then you’re to head straight out, got it?”

“Yes, ma’am. I just hope that went over well…” Goro ran his hand through his hair.

“Nervous about what comes next?” the blonde gave his shoulder a squeeze.

“Nervous about what might not come next! I did have to make a fool of myself on live TV, something had better come of it or I have to live with that nonsense forever.”

Lisa laughed. Goro didn’t join her, instead looking down at his phone at a text from Akira.

**Akira:** Interesting stunt. Everyone says you’ve lost it. But I’m sure whatever this plan is will work.

  
  


Lisa took Goro back to the dressing room to grab his briefcase and then escorted him to the elevator. In that time, his phone rang several times, all calls from Shimazu. He was sure the chief had lots of questions about what he thought he was doing… But he’d deal with all of that later. For now, he had to make his way into the parking garage under the studio.

He stepped off the elevator and looked around.

It was pretty late, so it was quiet. There didn’t appear to be anyone else around. Lisa stayed up at the dressing rooms, allowing Goro to make the journey on his own. He walked through the garage, occasionally glancing up at the cameras overhead or flicking his eyes back and forth.

He gripped his briefcase with a white-knuckle grip and kept walking, not stopping until the lights started to flicker.

For a moment, Goro hesitated, considering walking faster, but a moment was too late. The main lights flickered out, leaving only the red emergency lights on. The place was barely lit, and no one was around. He stood still in the dark, looking ahead at the rows of parked cars and the occasional empty parking space. In the gaps between the red lights he could barely make out anything, the cars and the floor were all swallowed up by blackness. Absently he wondered if the scene matched the imagery Akira saw during his episodes.

“Just keep walking,” he muttered to himself. Goro took a deep breath and continued forward.

He only made it a few steps more before he heard something to his right. The teenager stopped and glanced around. He heard an odd thud, like something had fallen onto the hood of a car. Goro took a few steps forward, glancing around the parked vehicles. It wasn’t until he was in between two that he saw a shadow dart across the floor.

He jumped back for a moment before hurrying after it. “Hey! Who’s there!” He came around the front of the cars and put his hand on the wall as he knelt down to see what darted between the front bumpers and the wall of the garage. It didn’t take long for a black cat with purple eyes to come crawling out of the shadows.

The feline purred at him, her tail swishing as she rubbed up against the parked car’s tire.

“Oh, just a cat…” Goro held out his right hand to her, leaning forward off the wall. “You look pretty well groomed to be a stray… Where’s your owner, huh?” As Goro reached out to pet the cat, a figure crawled up onto the hood of the car behind him.

Wearing mostly black, save for a white mask with purple trim, they slowly got up onto their knees on the hood.They held two slender knives, raising the right one up high over their head. Goro kept his attention focused on the cat, but could see the Shadow posing to strike in the reflection of the hubcap of the tire the feline was against.

As their knife came down, he swung left with his briefcase, ensuring that the blade would stab into it and not his shoulder.

The force of the attack knocked him to the ground, scaring the cat away. His body twisted to face them as he held onto the case. The Shadow struggled to pull their knife free, and Goro managed to turn his legs and kick them away.

As soon as they were forced to back up into the parked car behind them, he got up and started running. The Shadow gave chase, still holding a knife in their left hand.

Goro ran as fast as he could down the row of cars, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to see how close the Shadow was getting. As soon as they were within range, he turned back around to face her, swinging his briefcase wildly- anything to keep her from getting a chance to stab him. Still, he had to keep backing up as he took swings at her, and in between the passes of his case she tried to cut into him.

As he took a swing to the left, she raised her right foot and kicked the case hard enough to send it flying from his hands. The action caused him to stumble, falling back into the trunk of a car. The Shadow grabbed his collar and held a knife up to his chest.   


“I warned you to move on, or you would not leave this city  _ alive _ !”

Before the knife could be brought down into his chest, the movement of green and red came just into view from Goro’s left. Ulala came charging up to tackle his assailant, sending the woman flying off of him. The Shadow rolled off the car to his right and the knife clattered on the ground.

“You okay!?” She pulled Goro up to stand.

“What took you so long?” he shouted.

“I’m here now!” Ulala put up her fist as the woman stood up, grabbing he knife with her right hand, and pulling out a second for her left. “So, fight me, woman to woman!”

Goro backed up as the Shadow charged at Ulala. She kept her fist up but was dodging the Shadow’s attacks as if she was in a boxing match. Fed up, the Shadow pulled back with their right and thrust forward as hard as she could. Ulala managed to deflect the attack with her left hand, but in return, the Shadow made a move to stab her with her left, now that the two were so close.

The red head just barely got her right arm up, letting the blade sink into her forearm as opposed to her stomach.

Ulala let out a scream, but kept fighting. She grabbed the woman’s left arm and held her tight to knee her a few times in the stomach before pushing her away.

As the two drew back from each other, Ulala looked down at the knife’s blade shallowly embodied into her right forearm.

“Are you alright?” Goro ran to her side.

“I’ll live-!” She grabbed the blade of the knife and pulled it out, grimacing. As soon as the knife was free, she looked up to see the Shadow charging at them again, their last knife clutched in their right hand. Ulala pushed Goro away from her, forcing him to dive right while she went left to avoid the attack.

The Shadow turned to face Goro where he’d hit the ground. However, before they could attack a fourth party came up from behind them and grabbed just under their arms, linking their elbows under them and pulling them back.

“Get the knife!” Tatsuya shouted as he leaned his body weight back to hold onto the Shadow. They started kicking their feet up into the air, forcing him to keep stepping back until he hit the roof of another car. The Shadow turned the knife in their right hand was desperately trying to stab backward to hit him in the face.

Both Ulala and Goro got up and rushed over to the pair, Ulala grabbed at her right arm and pulled it away, while Goro grabbed onto her left to hold her steady. The red head slammed the Shadow’s fist down into the hood of the car until they were forced to drop the weapon. Once it hit the ground Tatsuya started shouting orders again.

“Cuffs! Left side!”

“I’ve got them!” Goro grabbed a pair of handcuffs off of Tatsuya and grabbed the Shadow’s wrist, securing one before getting the other. Once her hands were locked the detective let go and let the woman slide from the hood of the car down onto the ground.

He got up, huffing before pulling her to her feet and removing her mask.

Goro put his hands on his hips, smiling through how fast he was trying to recover his breath, “Ishigami, Chizuru! You’re under arrest for attempted murder of a police offic-”

The woman cut him off, suddenly raising her right leg and kicking Goro as hard as possible in the crotch with the heel of her shoe.

When he dropped Tatsuya shook his head and Ulala cringed.

“Save the victory speech, brat,” Chizuru flicked her head, flipping her hair out of her face, save for one errant strand that she had to reach up and twist around her finger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SWEAR TO YOU I LOVE AKECHI I REALLY DO. HE'S JUST SO EASY TO HIT.


End file.
